Waiting on Myself

Studies have been done which estimate how long a person on average will spend during their lives eating, waiting at red lights, or watching television.  I wonder how much time we actually spend waiting on other people.  I remember going to Souplantation (a buffet-style restaurant in the U.S.) and waiting for a woman who meticulously harvested every piece of chicken out of the chicken noodle soup into her two bowls.  I didn't even want that particular soup, but this chicken-vulture hunkered down and spread her wings over the clam chowder as well!  As the minutes passed and people in line politely waited, I gazed awestruck at the oblivious woman who dipped, dipped, dipped, and dipped again.

No one is a stranger to waiting on others.  If we ring someone we have to wait for them to answer.  When we send an important e-mail we have to wait for someone to send us a response.  Our glass may have been emptied of soda ten minutes ago, but we must flag down the waiter or waitress to request a refill.  Delegating tasks can enable a person to multiply his effectiveness, but it can have the opposite effect if those working do not share his level of urgency.  Some common reactions to waiting on people can be impatience, annoyance, disillusionment, and frustration, especially if we believe we have waited long enough!  There's no rule posted over the chicken noodle soup, but I'm thinking more than three minutes borders the ridiculous.

Lately God has been showing me something wonderful in the Body of Christ.  Many times when we feel or think we are waiting for others, we are waiting for ourselves.  Some people have this concept that they must wait for their pastor to "get it" before they will be a force for God.  It is the idea which suggests my spiritual well-being and progress is not only tied to but in a sense dictated by the actions of other people.  We make excuses and justify our own disobedience.  We are inactive, yes, but that is because of the lack of support of our wives.  Our church is not reaching the world, true, but that is because we are waiting for revival.  It is God's fault, not ours.  If only someone else would do what we should do, then we would take the next step.  Dear friends, we have all shuffled around in this dark pit awhile.  It has been in our spiritual DNA from the moment Adam and Eve fell into sin.

If I am waiting on a person, I wait on myself.  As a Christian, I am supposed to actively follow my LORD Jesus Christ as led by the Holy Spirit.  I am to wait in earnest expectancy, be swift to listen, slow to speak, and purpose to obey.  But there is no human being in the world I need wait on when it comes to my spiritual growth and development.  My career must be second to your Saviour.  Jesus calls pastors while they study at a prestigious university or as they serve their ninth year of imprisonment for their faith.  Jesus calls evangelists while they work as computer programmers and beauticians.  God calls all men, women, and children to hear His Word, believe, and live their lives for His glory.  Don't wait for your pastor, man of faith.  Honor God with your time.  Don't wait for your husband, dear believing wife.  You follow Jesus today!  Don't wait for your mom to act like a Christian, young man:  you be a real Christian today.  While you delay you only wait on yourself!  Jesus leads the way, and He seeks people to follow NOW!