How Often Do I Fail the Makrothumia or Longsuffering Test?

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The Greek word for longsuffering in Colossians 3:12 is makrothumia. Vernon McGee defines it as "long-burning" or that it burns a long time. It's stated, "We shouldn't have a short fuse with our friends and Christian brethren. We shouldn't make snap judgments." Making snap judgments is making judgments without good judgment. That's what it means by don't judge and you'll not be judged. Judging righteously means to also include longsuffering in one's character. John Gill describes in his commentary as, "whereby a person patiently bears evil words and actions of others, and is not easily provoked to wrath by then, but puts up with injuries, and sits down contented with the ill usage he meets with them."

Why do I fail in the makrothumia or longsuffering test? I would dare say it's mostly rooted upon pride. It's the sin in me that's like Haman who is too easily offended by a minor official who won't bow down. Mordecai had every duty not to reverence Haman. Although I'm not asking for worship - there are times I just feel like trying hard to get people to bow down to me. There are also times that I always feel like a minor insult or a slap in the face is worth hurting or even murdering someone. I'm reminded of how often my pride causes me to argue longwinded arguments for two hours or even more all because I'm angry. It's not enough for a day because I want to settle scores my way. I even want to inflict physical harm or even murder the person who called me a name. An insult hurts and you can't avoid it. Insults will always be everywhere. The problem is bigger when I choose to let them get over me because of my pride. Worse times come when I end up acting on my desire to physically harm the person such as administer a slap, punch the person, or even get a deadly object to punish the person for hurting my pride. I even feel that punishing the person will warn others not to follow ignoring the fact that I've caused bodily harm in the process.

I'm even told, "Your ears have two holes. You can either choose to cover your eyes to annoy the person or to let it go through the other." I keep getting mad as if the insult was life-threatening. Times come when people call me a bigot, a fool, an idiot, stupid, crazy, homosexual, etc. or every hurtful name that could be imagined. I remembered I punched someone's face for calling me gay to prove I'm a straight guy. I'm told that my reaction will just make people laugh instead. I'm told that people are laughing not because they side with the person I hurt but because of how I reacted to the person. Later, I started to develop an attitude that chose to return evil with kindness. By choosing not to retaliate - the person became powerless. By choosing to ignore the mockery - the mockers were soon silenced. By choosing not to keep going on with useless arguments - the person got too tired because he lost motivation. By choosing not to fight back at the bully and let authorities handle him - the bully became powerless. By choosing to ignore an arrogant prick - said person was hurt without me having to anything. Being longsuffering doesn't mean getting rid of self-defense. If anything, it only chooses to do harm to protect one's self and others from danger. However, if there was no need to use physical force then why use it? Instead, the command is to love one's enemies, let it be, and let God.

What does it mean to heap coals of fire on his head in Romans 12:20? Well, it's not a literal thing. I heard of the practice of punishing people by making them carry a pot full of burning coals. This would also mean to shame or punishment. It would mean that returning evil with kindness will strike the conscience. Returning evil for evil will only the other person's being mean. It's like, "He's mean to me so I will be mean to him." Both people are always accusing each other of being mean without seeing they're both mean to each other. However, returning evil with kindness is a very humiliating thing. For the wicked, they don't expect mercy from their enemies. They would probably rather die at the hands of their enemy than to be granted mercy. Granting mercy to a wicked person is a very humbling thing. It will be a clear mirror that reveals all their serious flaws that need to be corrected. A dirty mirror can never show the other person his or her faults. A clean mirror of mercy and goodness will reflect one's wickedness back at them. As said you can't fight fire with fire. Throwing stones at someone throwing stones will just worsen the problem. It's also what the other party expects. When somebody throws stones and you throw bread then they will be puzzled at what they think is rather illogical. It will really make them see a different perspective rather than letting them taste their own medicine.  

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