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Musings on Faith #63 Makrothymia - Longsuffering | |
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I have always been intrigued, in reading Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (KJV)" - by the word ‘longsuffering’. In fact, I may have written about it before in this column. If so, forgive me, and I will take a little different tack this time. Looking up ‘longsuffering’, one finds that the word in the original Greek texts is ‘makrothymia’. Makrothymia means many related things, including patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance (especially as in bearing troubles and ills), forbearance, and slowness in avenging wrongs. It not only encompasses "the temper which does not easily secumb under suffering", but also "the self-restraint which does not easily retaliate a wrong". It is opposed both "to cowardice or despondency" and "wrath or revenge". Wow! What a word! I believe that most Christians, when reading Galatians 5:22-23, and understanding ‘love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance’, or at least think that they do, just sort of read over that word ‘longsuffering’. They don’t really understand it, but they don’t want to admit such lack of understanding. Thus it remains "one of those |
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words" in the Bible which we never really come to grips with. Thus it was with me: I determined a meaning within my own mind and understanding, but oh, how far short of the full meaning and depth of the word I was! Is there not something in makrothymia (longsuffering) for all of us? No matter our make-up or personality type, this word concerns some shortcoming in our individual natures, and speaks to us in quite revealing terms. For me, for example, the phrase "the temper which does not easily secumb under suffering" strikes at the heart, for I have a bad temper, though most people who know me have never seen it. Therefore this verse, and especially the word ‘longsuffering’, will speak to me in a more powerful way than ever before. What part of the meaning of the word speaks to you in that same special way? From now on, I’m going to strive, with the help of the Lord, to be more longsuffering, exercising the fruit ‘makrothymia’. May we all! The Lord has illuminated our pathway so beautifully. May we look for the light. Yours in Christ, Tom Woodard |
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