Almost
Are we there yet? That’s the rallying cry of every little kid who’s had to endure more than a 30-‐minute car ride. But as childish as it sounds, it’s a sentiment we feel throughout our entire life. It’s not easy to be patient when you anticipate the destination. And the more anxious we become, the more rewarding the destination, the harder it is to be patient.
When I was younger, your uncles and I would load up in the station wagon (complete with faux wood paneling) nearly every year for a road trip to Florida. I don’t know how mom and dad managed it. Dad’s goal was to make it from our home on Long Island to Jacksonville, Florida before he stopped to rest his road weary eyes. With 4 boys in the back, accounting for restroom breaks at Stuckey’s, and a few meals, it was about an 18-‐hour trip straight through. Anxious as always, we never made it beyond the George Washington Bridge before one of us asked, “how much longer?”. Mom would always turn around and say, “We’ve got a ways to go. Be patient!”.
I still remember the time dad woke me up en-‐route. It was very late, we were passing some forgotten mile marker between Virginia and Georgia. Everyone else in the wagon was asleep. He reached his hand around the bench-‐style
front seat and gently shook my knee. Of course, this was before seatbelts were a regular thing (they were usually stuffed deep in the crack between the horizontal and vertical cushions). As I popped up and put my arms on the back of the front seat, Dad pointed to the speedometer. “Check it out”, he bragged. The needle was buried passed 100 MPH. I thought that was pretty cool as well.
That’s the thing about trips: we enjoyed the ride. We always had fun when we got to Florida – staying at grandma’s and going fishing on grandpa’s boat – but to this day, we still talk about the rides down. The thing is, we were impatient. We couldn’t wait to get there. In life, the journey usually reveals the most beautiful and memorable moments.
In 1501, Michelangelo was commissioned to do a sculpture for the Florence Cathedral. He was given a monstrous piece of marble – nicknamed the Giant. This stone had previously been under the chisel of two renowned artists Agostino di Duccio and Antonio Rossellino. 40 years prior, they had begun the initial work, with the hope that one day the Giant would become the statue of the Old Testament’s King David. Unfortunately, Agostino and Rossellino had done such a poor job that the authorities feared the expensive piece of marble might be ruined. The 26-‐year old Michelangelo was commissioned to finish the job. In addition to the flawed workmanship of the original two artists, this piece of marble was left outside, neglected and exposed to the elements for several decades. In 1504, Michelangelo’s David was completed. Today, it’s still considered among the most revered pieces of art ever created. The patience and trust of the authorities in Florence was rewarded. When asked how he created such a magnificent piece, Michelangelo remarked “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”.
The process through which Michelangelo revealed the David is key, because it’s precisely how God reveals us. Through His diligence and artistry, God chips away our imperfections, chisels away our excess in an effort to uncover us -‐ His masterpiece. The closer He gets to the skin, the more it hurts. And sometimes His tools cut deep. Our original stone, the place that hides our true selves, contains our beauty and our potential. It’s one-‐of-‐a-‐kind. We may look weathered and even have others question our worth, but God knows better.
Here’s how we’re different than the David: we can resist God’s hammer and chisel. We can choose to carry around the excess weight of stress, anger and anxiety. We can remain stubborn. The more we resist, the longer it takes for God to finish His masterpiece. Sometimes we use our big, shapeless rock as a shield or barrier, hiding our true selves, afraid that people won’t appreciate the true us. God has other plans.
There is no substitute for patience. If we had screamed loud enough, protested long enough on the way to Florida, dad might’ve turned the car around or pulled the country squire over, lengthening our already long road trip. If
Michelangelo had gone the way of Agostino or Rossellino, or had listened to the authorities who viewed the “Giant as irreparably flawed, we would never have seen his marvelous David. Two very different examples of how patience in our life is almost always rewarded.
Remember, it’s OK to be excited about something. It’s healthy to anticipate some destination, some dream finally being realized. But it’s just as important to allow things to happen in due time. Self-‐control will serve you best, especially as you grow and are given more responsibilities in life. Even when things get hectic and stressful, don’t forget – even if the speedometer is buried passed 100 MPH, be patient – you still may have a ways to go. Have a great day! Love dad
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