But perhaps the most inspiring and desirable virtue of a seasoned mother is her patience. She knows that children are not always going to get it right the first time around. She also knows that children are not adults and therefore should not be expected to think or act like them. She is content to watch her child explore and discover, question and learn. She is not threatened by acts of rebellion because she knows who her authority comes from and how to correct the behavior with love and firmness.
God deals with His children much the same way a seasoned mother handles hers. He knows their frame, that they are dust. (Psalm 103:14) He also knows their hearts, that they sometimes are bent on evil. Yet His mercies are new every morning. God's incredible patience with His children is both mysterious and undeserving.
Christians are called to be examples of the love of God, and a testimony of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said it well in his letter to the Ephesians: “Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.” (Ephesians 4:2, NLT) Not only are women to be patient with their children, but also with others she comes in contact with, knowing that she is just as fallible as the next person. She is even-tempered and not easily disturbed when things get crazy. She can remain collected even when little Margaret draws on the living room wall with lipstick.
Yet the virtue of patience is not limited to only mothers. It can be alive and working within a woman who leads a Bible study for new believers, or a woman who teaches a classroom full of five year olds. Patience can show up in a woman who has to care for her aging and ailing parent. Patience is a gift that God gives to any woman whose own ability to endure falls short.