Christian Living

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How’s Your Patience?
by Dan Blankenship




A man once told me that it is actually good to occasionally self-evaluate one’s patience. I am sure that man was familiar with Proverbs 19:11 – “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it his glory to overlook an offense.” Recently, I discovered that there is no better way to test my patience than to enter a movie theater. It is in that dimly lit enterprise that a man truly comes face-to-face with the measure of his character.

Let me start off by admitting that watching a movie on the big-screen has always been a joy to me. My mother started me young, taking me to see such Hollywood creations like The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Sting (1973), Jaws (1975), and Star Wars (1977).

I have fond memories of entering The River Oaks Mall Theaters in Calumet City, Illinois. The screens were colossal to a young child, and in those days thick curtains were drawn aside when the movie was about to start. I remember that while the credits were still rolling I was asking my mother when we would be returning and what was the next big film we’d see.

Now that I am a little bit older, going to see movies on the big screen has lost some of its magic. Not only has Hollywood lost its ability to make films that do not rely on profanity, extremely grotesque violence, and racy sex scenes to carry the story, but a great deal of the current moviegoers have concurrently lost their ability to allow other members of the audience to enjoy their moving pictures’ experience.

These days, it is not uncommon to have a fellow audience member who believes her time in the movie theater is a time for strangers to hear about the comings and goings of her life. It is also not uncommon to find a few dozen movie fans who believe it is their included in their civil rights to have their cell phone on “ring” during their entire motion picture experience. And need I mention the parents who decide that a six month old child has been waiting his whole life to see Rocky VI (yes, it is coming).

A few years ago, at one movie theater, a man actually fell asleep in the chair directly behind my family and me. He fell out of his chair onto the floor and began to snore extremely loud. The man’s wife laughed hysterically at her husband’s antics, and at no time did she seem to sympathize with the people around her who had paid good money to see the film. My patience quota was nearly reached on that particular day, and I actually uprooted the family and scouted out a new seating location, dodging flying Reeses Pieces and M&Ms along the way.

On one occasion, I found myself sitting in front of a talker, and I did not see any open seats left in the theater. I actually prayed for God to cool my temper. After a few minutes, I began to feel calm. I think the woman was still talking, but I had found a way to tune her voice out (no, it hasn’t worked with my wife – she knows how to make me hear what she has to say). I was able to enjoy the rest of the film without losing my temper and possibly ending up interrupting others that were enjoying the same movie.

So the next time you feel like seeing how much patience the Lord has blessed you with, try a trip to the movies. I’m almost certain you’ll find you answer.

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