But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1.16)

The old adage is true, the only Bible many people will ever read is our lives lived out before them. Yet for some reason we limit our witness to the non-offensive things in our lives. We only want to share our victories in our Christian walk, the triumphant seasons and successes. We are willing to be examples of our christianity as long as it fits with our own sanitized self-narrative where we look good, clean, fully redeemed.

But there is so much more, so much that is far more attainable to the lost: failure. If our lives were truly perfect without failure or stumbling we would be irrelevant to the dying who need to see Jesus at work in us. Our attainable witness of failure and short-falling is where we meet with Jesus the perfectly patient one. It is also where others meet with Jesus too.

We can take joy in our discomfort and peace in our defeat because Jesus is perfect in His patience with us. Jesus does not rush to judgment. Jesus does not condemn us before inviting us back to His cross. Jesus reminds us of His redeeming love. He places His pierced hand on our shoulder and speaks peace. And from our place of weeping, of sorrow and struggle Jesus invites us to bring others because He is patiently recreating what we were destroying through sin. Jesus has chosen people for us to live our lives, our whole lives, for the sake of His glory and their eternal life.

Jesus, thank you for the long-suffering patience with me, your enduring love that continues to draw me nearer to you. Show me how to live my whole life before the lost.