My Friend James: Farmer Patience

In James 5:7-8, our friend, James, circles back to a theme from chapter 1, verses 2-4, where he says, 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

In chapter 5, after giving the “what for” to the rich over how they treat their workers, we find James offering this counsel: James 5:7-8 [NKJV] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

James bids us to be patient. Like a farmer.

If you have ever had a garden, you know that there is a significant amount of time between the seed going into the ground and your opportunity to put tomatoes from your garden onto your hamburger or into your homemade salsa.

Recently, in getting seeds and plants for our church community garden, I noticed that some seed packets said, “45 days from planting to harvest” or “90 days from planting to harvest”. Not fast by modern standards of 2-day shipping or Door Dash delivery in 20 minutes. But at least you know what to expect.

God doesn’t give us that. James says, “the Lord is at hand”. But we are told we don’t know and can’t know the day nor the hour He is coming. We just have to wait patiently.

We don’t get an expiration date on our lives. We must work until that time comes – doing the things God asks us to do.

We don’t know when God will answer our prayers – prayers about oppression or work drama or anything else. We must wait patiently and remain faithful until the answer comes.

Perhaps James was thinking of these words of his brother, Jesus: Mark 4:30-32 [NKJV] 30 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 "[It is] like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 "but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

The Kingdom itself is sewn in small seeds planted in the garden of our community, our jobs, our children’s minds.

James 5:7-8 [NKJV] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

We must be patient. Not just patient, but patient like a farmer, knowing that there is something going on, actually there is a LOT going, on under the surface while he waits. The farmer doesn’t dig up the soil to see what is going on under there. He knows that things are happening. He trusts the process. And while he waits he waters and weeds and fertilizes.

We too must actively wait. We too must be doing our part while we wait.

We are in the final chapter of the book of James. I hope you will continue to meet with me here and will share your own thoughts on this book by the brother of Jesus for just a few more messages.

Where shall we go next? Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to explore together?

You can write me any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org