Next, let us briefly look at the attributes of patience and kindness. Ogilvie reminds us that patience is faith in action. We often become impatient when we doubt that God is in charge of our life. Ogilvie bring us into a deeper understanding of how often we move against the unction of God. He tells us how Rabbinic law requires a training yoke for use with a seasoned trains and younger ox. If the young ox goes ahead or behind the leading of the seasoned ox, the young ox’s throat will be rubbed raw and no progress will be made. It is only when he stays parallel with the season ox that he is not injured and progress is made. The season ox is carrying the heavy burden. This is what Christ means when he says his yoke is easy. “All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt 11:29-30 HCSB). Therefore, we need to ask ourselves are we are being like the young ox and not walking with the Lord or are we going against the timings of the Lord. Patience is letting Him be the seasoned leader in our life.
Kindness is what God has shown us in sending His Son to die for our sins. We often condemn ourselves for mistakes and failures in our lives. Ogilvie states, “Christ’s kindness can help us get up when we are down on ourselves. His kindness for us enables a kindness in us for ourselves and for others” (Ogilvie 1980, 92). Frequently, we are unable to show kindness to others because we have not embraced His kindness toward us. We can only share the kindness if we embrace it and allow that kindness to be manifest in us. We then will enthusiastically share the same kindness to others.