Patience
People say patience is a virtue and that one should control one's temper. The book of Proverbs is continually reminding us the value of a controlled temper. This has always irritated me because I'm not very good at it yet. I made calmness a personal goal one year. I had finished reading The Art of Happiness by his Holiness the Dalai Lama and recognized many similarities between what Jesus taught and what the Buddha taught. But as with anything new and fresh, I took the teachings to heart. But as with any New Year's resolution--it faded.
As a sidenote, I am fascinated by the many similarties between the Buddha and the Christ. But even more fascinated by the reality that it always refreshing to hear old sayings in a new way. And the language of Christianity is an old language indeed.
I don't know if I am predisposed as a character in this world to be the quick-tempered one and that is holding me back, or if it just that I don't want to give that part up. I think it a bit of both. And despite the warnings against quick-tempered individuals, I've done reasonably well for myself, though mostly when I've protected my rising temperature.
As an assistant coach, I've been again reminded of the virtue of patience. A missed call, a bad call, a quick whistle. As I sat on the bench of our game last night, watching what I considered to be poor officiating, I wanted to let loose. I wanted to stand and pace and glare--maybe even drop in a few well placed expletives. But I couldn't. I had to sit and encourage our players to play on and focus on the game while I stewed.
I know--it's just a game. Five girls from one school playing against five girls from another school. But in that moment I was so consumed with that game, those competitors, that I felt a part of it. I felt the need to defend it at all costs. I know--I'm just an assistant. One man on the end of the bench offering what little expertise I have to players wanting to learn, even if only a little. But what they were doing felt a part of me. I had put my time, my effort, my heart into teaching them and only the head coach got to question the ref. My blood pressure is rising now and I've cocked my head to the side with a grimmace on my face and it happened last night.
God says he will never tempt us beyond what we can bear, but sometimes.... It is comical how He chooses to teach us and often more comical yet, how we learn the lesson. Inner peace, patience, calmness were all taught by Jesus and Buddha alike, but neither of them had to deal with referees.
As a sidenote, I am fascinated by the many similarties between the Buddha and the Christ. But even more fascinated by the reality that it always refreshing to hear old sayings in a new way. And the language of Christianity is an old language indeed.
I don't know if I am predisposed as a character in this world to be the quick-tempered one and that is holding me back, or if it just that I don't want to give that part up. I think it a bit of both. And despite the warnings against quick-tempered individuals, I've done reasonably well for myself, though mostly when I've protected my rising temperature.
As an assistant coach, I've been again reminded of the virtue of patience. A missed call, a bad call, a quick whistle. As I sat on the bench of our game last night, watching what I considered to be poor officiating, I wanted to let loose. I wanted to stand and pace and glare--maybe even drop in a few well placed expletives. But I couldn't. I had to sit and encourage our players to play on and focus on the game while I stewed.
I know--it's just a game. Five girls from one school playing against five girls from another school. But in that moment I was so consumed with that game, those competitors, that I felt a part of it. I felt the need to defend it at all costs. I know--I'm just an assistant. One man on the end of the bench offering what little expertise I have to players wanting to learn, even if only a little. But what they were doing felt a part of me. I had put my time, my effort, my heart into teaching them and only the head coach got to question the ref. My blood pressure is rising now and I've cocked my head to the side with a grimmace on my face and it happened last night.
God says he will never tempt us beyond what we can bear, but sometimes.... It is comical how He chooses to teach us and often more comical yet, how we learn the lesson. Inner peace, patience, calmness were all taught by Jesus and Buddha alike, but neither of them had to deal with referees.
posted by Mr. McNamar at 9:46 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home