Sometimes Colossians 3:12 hits me over the head. I missed my quiet time this morning and was not exactly tender-hearted toward my children when they swarmed me with needs as I tried to squeeze my Bible study in later. The irony of my un-Christlikeness while I read the Bible was loud and humbling. 
I thought of Jesus when He tried to escape the crowds for some alone time. People tagged along even to the middle of nowhere. Matthew 14:13-14,
He left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where He was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
When Jesus’ R&R was interrupted (again) by those needing, nagging, child-like stalkers, He did not turn to them irritable and cross. Rather He was compassionate, gentle and kind. He even multiplied fish and bread to feed all 5000 of them.
I thought also of Sara Groves’s 50-second-long song, Right Now, in which she sings, “There’s no way to brace myself. What you need from me I can do it right now. I can do it right now.” Repeat. And repeat meeting needs again and again every day, patiently.
Recently, I was struck by the realization that chapters like Colossians 3 (and Eph 4 and 1 Cor 13) do not say, “Be patient until _” or “Be patient unless_.” No, God simply says, “Be patient.” All the time. I can ask my children to play quietly and practice their own patience while I read. But when they don’t, I shouldn’t answer in harsh anger like some snappy grouch. Ever. In every situation, I should be patient no matter how incessant the needs, tender-hearted no matter how troublesome the behavior, kind no matter how annoying the habit, humble no matter how great the inconvenience, gentle no matter how loud the tantrum, every day.
My children are my disciples. It is good for them to see me read the Bible; but if I am often temperamental when reading it, then I am not setting an example of loving God’s word or living it out. When I choose God’s way, I am not only obeying Christ, I am modeling for my children how to live in God’s promise and cope with frustration. They learn from me how to react when they are bombarded by the needs of others as Jesus was on the shoreline.
NOTE: I have found that kindness and patience toward my children come more easily on days that I spend time in the Word before they wake up. I used to wedge it into naptime, but with three kids naptime overlap is too rare to depend on. Since my brain is stale toast by the end of the day, nighttime study is not ideal for me. I try to get up an hour before the kids to have some time quiet and alone.
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