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 The
coined word “shortsuffering” won’t be found in a
dictionary, but the disposition it pictures is much in evidence,
even among God’s people. In it is conveyed an idea that is
readily apparent to most Bible students. Whereas longsuffering
primarily describes patience with people, short suffering is the
very opposite. He will not long tolerate that which he finds
objectionable in others. He seeks hasty retaliation and prompt
punishment for all real or imagined wrongs suffered. He is apt
to give someone a “piece” of his mind or to “get them told”
with little if any forethought or gentleness — and even take
pride in having done so. The shortsufferer not only falls short
in his “suffering with”, but in many other things at the
same time.
For
instance, the shortsufferer falls short in partaking of the
divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). Peter writes of how Christ suffered
for us, leaving us an example in that when he was reviled, he
reviled not again and in suffering, threatened not (1 Pet. 2:21,
22). Our Example did no sin to deserve such treatment and
neither did he any sin to revenge such treatment. Such conduct
was in exact harmony with his teaching. He said, “...do good
to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them
that despitefully use you.” (Lk. 6:27, 28) And how much more
benevolent ought we to be to those who do less? God’s
longsuffering “waited in the days of Noah” (1 Pet. 3:20) and
it waits again, enduring vessels of wrath fitted unto
destruction (Rom. 9:22). God waits for men to repent. Should His
people do less? We need a longsuffering God. Most of us need
longsuffering brethren to bear with
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our weaknesses. How can we afford to be short
on what we need them to be long on? The divine nature is
longsuffering to all (1 Thss. 5:l4).
In
addition, the shortsufferer shows himself to be short on love
(1Cor. 13:4). Love sees the objectionable, but loves anyway. On
the long-suffering of love William Barclay says it “expresses
a certain attitude toward people which never loses patience with
them, however unreasonable they may be, and which never loses
hope for them, however unlovely and unteachable they may be”.
Unlike shortsuffering, love is ever considerate. It is the
antidote for this and a multitude of similar sins. Nothing
stretches suffering like love.
Further,
the shortsufferer is short on what it takes to be an effective
teacher. Our reproving, rebuking and exhorting is to be done
with all longsuffering (2 Tim. 4:2). Not all learners are of the
Cornelius and Lydia type. Many come to learn with obnoxious
habits, warped concepts, sins, prejudices and Other things that
might be distasteful to teachers. This is no place for the
shortsufferer. If we have to get every student “shaped-up”
before we begin to teach, then what and who will we teach?
To
be sure, the shortcomings of the shortsufferer are numerous and
serious. Wouldn’t it be tragic not to recognize such a sin in
self; or, seeing it, not to care?
Dan S. Shipley
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