February 26

Industrious waiting

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him” (Lam. 3:25).
“Neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isa. 64:4).
Perhaps the greatest lesson which the lives of literary men teach us, is told in a single word—WAIT! Every man must patiently bide his time. He must wait.
We seem to live in the midst of a battle—there is such a din, such a hurrying to and fro. In the streets of a crowded city it is difficult to walk slowly. You feel the rushing of the crowd, and rush with it onward. In the press of our life it is difficult to be calm. In this stress of wind and tide, all professions seem to drag their anchors, and are swept out into the main.


The voices of the present say—Come! But the voices of the past say—Wait! With calm and solemn footsteps the rising tide bears against the rushing torrent up stream, and pushes back the hurrying waters. With no less calm and solemn footsteps, nor less certainty, does a great mind bear up against public opinion, and push back its hurrying stream. Therefore, should every man wait—should bide his time. Not in listless idleness, not in useless pastime, not in querulous dejection, but in constant, steady endeavors, always willing and fulfilling, and accomplishing his task, that when the occasion comes he may be equal to the occasion. And if it never comes, what matters it to the world whether I or you, or another man, did such a deed, or wrote such a book, so be it the deed and book were well done.
—H. W. Longfellow.

There is an old spiritual that runs:

Slow me down, Lawd. I’se agoin’ too fast,
I can’t see my brother when he’s walking past.
I miss a lot o’ good things day by day,
I don’t know a blessin’ when it comes my way.

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