Whether it is with our own children or with people in our churches, a lot of the time we are tempted to be impatient. When we see someone who isn’t measuring up to what we want from them, we can be tempted to anger, in our minds we mark them with an x and think to ourselves that there is no hope for them and that they are a lost cause. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Not too long ago, I ran into an old college friend. Sadly, to my shame, we didn’t get along that well in college. As we caught up, it dawned on me what a cool guy he was and how the Lord had been using him as well as helping him to grow. He seemed to really be interested in me and how I was doing. He had obviously grown a lot and it was a great opportunity for me to be reminded of one thing, that sanctification had worked not only in his life but in mine, as well.

Over the years, I’m sure I have annoyed a lot of people. When I got to Masters College, I was a young man who was really excited to serve God, but totally raw when it came to how to love people and how to serve in the church. I’m sure, in many ways, I was prideful and thought I knew a whole lot more than I actually did.

Many men and women came alongside me and thankfully confronted me, encouraged me, and brought me along and helped me grow in so many areas.

Whether it is with our own children or with people in our churches, a lot of the time we are tempted to be impatient. When we see someone, who isn’t measuring up to what we want from them, we can be tempted to anger, in our minds we mark them with an x and think to ourselves that there is no hope for them and that they are a lost cause. But nothing could be further from the truth.

As I think through my past, I’m thankful to the many who not only didn’t count me out, but came along side me, and it dawned on me how much it hurts when people make up their minds about me and don’t give me a chance, and it convicted me how often I do that with people in my life.

There are many thoughts that come to mind as I think through this, and many reasons why we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss people.

God has promised to help them to grow

Obviously, we are talking about born again believers here. If someone doesn’t know Christ, then they are not growing in sanctification as they have yet to even believe. Philippians 1:6 says, For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. If someone is in Christ, then they have God’s guarantee that He will cause them to grow and perfect them until the day that they see Christ. This includes anyone in our churches that we might find annoying. Not only is that person guaranteed to spend eternity with you, but God is helping that person to grow on a daily basis to be more like His son. It’s fascinating to think through the fact that I was shocked about my friend’s growth over the last 10 years. Why in the world was I shocked? The Sovereign God of the universe has promised that He is going to cause each one of His children to make them grow more like His Son, and when God promises something it always comes to pass. We need to trust Him and patiently wait on Him as He works in others’ lives and in our own.

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