Liesbet is worth her weight in gold. She is the backbone of our household. She assists in the house, does the washing and irons our clothes and makes the most delicious “krummelpap” (crumb porridge). Liesbet lives north of Pretoria. She has one son and a grandson but also cares for her mother, aunt, two cousins and two European teenage girls (with the consent of social services). They all lived in her little three-roomed house. She recently moved into a new house in a new area due to her need for more space and also to better their living conditions.

Social Services make a small monthly contribution due to her willingness to take in and care for four teenage girls. She works very hard and the Lord undertakes and provides in their needs through a couple of people. He has already provided furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television and beds which she needed.

Her whole residential area has been without electricity since 18 May. The refrigerator and the stove do not work. There is no hot water to bath in and the cold winter is here. In protesting against poor service delivery, on voting day some rascals stole all the electricity cables in the area. Whether or not it was wrong, repairs will take several weeks. In the meantime it creates a crisis for all.

My wife and I took her to Builder’s Warehouse on 19 May and investigated all option so that she would not have to go one night without electricity and heat. I saw the dismay on her face and the worry about her people at home who depend on her. My heart goes out to her, but at the same time I am disgusted, angry and disappointed in people who do not really care what they do to other people.

Where do we draw the line? Are we justified to be disgusted and angry? Why do things like that happen? Do people just no longer care about each other? Why does the Lord allow this? What is the purpose? What must our reaction be? Must we really be tolerant?

The Greek word for tolerance in the Bible is the small word anektos. It means and indicates “to hold up” or “to endure” and is often read in connection with persecution, oppression and hardship (2 Thes 1:4) or even false teachers and false teachings (2 Tim 4:3).

What is the purpose of tolerance?

James writes that we must count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds because it produces steadfastness which leads to our being perfect and complete and lacking nothing in our spiritual lives (Jas 1:2-4). So when we tolerate (anektos) in the midst of hardship, oppression and persecution, the God of peace (Holy Spirit) works in our hearts and lives so that we can be perfect (katartidzo) in every good work, also to do His will and to be pleasing in His sight (Heb 13:20-21).

The word katartidzo means:

• To set a broken leg (medical term)
• To mend a broken net (fisherman’s language)
• To equip a ship for a voyage (sailor)
• To equip and army for the battle (soldier).

The Lord Jesus wants to equip us for our life here on earth in the midst of our circumstances and hardship. He wants to set the broken legs in our lives so that we can walk straight and cover the life journey successfully. He wants to mend our nets so that we can be better fishers of men and win souls. He wants to equip us for the battle so that we will not be hit to the ground by the storms of life. He wants to ripen us so that He can work in and through us to please Him and accomplish His will.

How does the Lord do it?

Which instruments does He use to teach me to tolerate and not to give up amidst my circumstances? He uses:

• Word of God (2 Tim 3:16-17)
• Prayer (1 Thes 3:10)
• Fellowship of the Believers (Ef 4: 11-12)
• Individual Believers (Gal 6:1)
• Hardship (1 Pet 5:10).

The Lord teaches us to be more tolerant towards others or to be more tolerant in our current circumstances. He teaches us to endure and to persevere while He is busy changing us so that He can use us even more. I see and learn tolerance, but God sees perseverance, accomplishment and execution of His will as well as a changed heart and life. He can therefore even use rascals who steal cables, an economic crisis and organizational politics to eventually accomplish His eventual purpose with us and through us.

Tolerance or the lack thereof is a visible even though invisible instrument in the Hand of our Lord. Even though I do not always understand why things happen or why the Lord allows things, my prayer is: Lord make me perfect in every good work to do your will. Work in me and help me to tolerate and accomplish what is pleasing in your sight. Amen.

Francois Carr