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TheDiscipleMD

When my wife and I moved here after a lifetime spent on the East Coast, we noticed a habit that local drivers have here in the West: they honk- rather quickly compared to the East Coast. We were sitting at a light that couldn’t have been green for more than a fraction of a section when I heard a quick “honk” coming from behind me. It gave me the impression that the driver behind me was mad at us. It happened several times, so much so that we noticed it as common when driving here.  Later, as my wife and I went around town with our daughter, she did the same thing at a light. It was a quick “honk,” not meant to be mean, just an alert to the driver that the light had turned green. My wife said to her, “Everyone honks here.”  My daughter acknowledged that drivers did so, but in defending herself, she said, “I am the least of the honkers!” The statement “I am the least of the honkers” made me laugh and think. What was she saying? She meant, “I may be impatient, but not as impatient as everyone else.” This “impatience” and intolerance of others’ mistakes has led to several ‘road rage’ incidents that seem to be increasing.

Patience! It is so hard to be patient! I was so impressed by a talk on that subject, “Continue in Patience.” In that address, Dieter Uchtdorf told us that patience isn’t merely waiting but “actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort.”

He reminded us of the oft-quoted scripture:

“No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (“Continue In Patience”, April, 2010).

Yes, as followers of Christ, we must become “the least of the honkers.” Sometimes, we must sit and wait lovingly and patiently for others to move forward in their own time. Often, others are doing the same for us. It is so easy to lose the virtue of patience with others. Interestingly enough, most of us want others to be patience with our faults and shortcomings.

“Patience is a godly attribute that can heal souls, unlock treasures of knowledge and understanding, and transform ordinary men and women into saints and angels. Patience is truly a fruit of the Spirit. Patience means staying with something until the end. It means delaying immediate gratification for future blessings. It means reining in anger and holding back the unkind word. It means resisting evil, even when it appears to be making others rich.

Patience means accepting what cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. It means being “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.” Ultimately, patience means being “firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord” every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so” (“Continue In Patience”, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2010)

We all need to be lovingly “honked” at from time to time. It can remind us that we need to get moving or that we are in danger and need a heads-up! Excessive honking can often come across as impatient anger towards another. I don’t know about you, but on the road, when I get honked at, I seldom think the other drinker is doing it out of love or concern for my safety. It often comes across as impatient anger towards a driving mistake that is just an error.

So, let us be wise in how we encourage and in what fashion we do so on the road of life. More often than not, being “the least of the honkers” can motivate others more effectively than when we lay on the horn, showing our impatience. Applying this to life lessons, it loses its power and meaning when we excessively honk at friends and loved ones. Safe driving!