The Art of Waiting

So I called the Foreign Student Office at 8:45 am and spoke with one of the gals that works there, who happens to be one of my former students. She's not the one I'm directly working with for the scholarship, but I have a relationship with her so I can often ask things and she'll find out for me. She said, no official result yet and the gal that was supposed to be in the office was not there yet. So I called again, now at 10:15, and spoke with the gal in charge of the scholarship deal and she said, "no result yet. Call back June 6." This is the second 'call back' I've received. I was first told, May 10. Then, May 25. Now June 6.

This is the art of waiting. As American's we're not used to this. We're accustomed to getting our burger or mocha in a 'reasonable' amount of time (i.e. - NOW!). And when we don't get what we want we yell and scream and chew somebody out for not doing their job. That doesn't mean you'll get what you want more quickly. It just means everyone around you feels crappy.

The art of waiting is a relational art, both vertical and horizontal. Horizontal, because it's important to maintain relationships, particularly in cultures like China's where relationships, not money, get you things (I'll be writing on this more in the future). In America money is king. And in some ways money is king in China too. But relationships rule from a higher throne, and sometimes are your access TO money. We don't like that in the West, thinking that it's unfair. But it's really not, if you know the art of waiting. And if you think about it, relationships really are king. You can't buy your way into heaven, which leads us to the vertical aspect of the art of waiting.

The vertical art of waiting. How often have you asked the Lord for something and had to wait for an answer? A day? A week? A month? A year? YEARS? Your whole life even?! Next time you're waiting, remember the one you're waiting on. Is he not King? And is he not in control of your life? AND, is he NOT GOOD?!

Which one of you, if you ask your father for bread, will he give you a stone?