When I was growing up on my father’s Mississippi Delta farm, some of my childish faults annoyed Jaybird, my best friend and mentor. Because his patience had no limits, the old black man was particularly put off by my inability to wait.
One day as were putting poles, minnow buckets, paddles, and lunch in his fishing boat, I was fidgeting and kept saying, “Let’s hurry — I can’t wait to get on the lake.”
After pestering him one too many times, he zapped me to silence with what usually preceded a willow switch to my butt: his fierce glare.
After launching the boat, Jaybird motored to a crappie hot spot, and sure enough we hauled in one nice fish after another. At noon, he tied the boat in a cedar tree’s shade and brought out lunch. Usually, we napped after eating, but because the fish were biting so well, I begged him to forego the nap because I couldn’t wait to catch more crappie.
Once again he glared at me, left the boat tied, and mumbled, “Well, I reckon this is as good a time as any.” Realizing I had pushed him too far, I stopped whining and gave him my full attention.
“Son, throughout life you will encounter periods of waiting. Accept them, and quit resorting to one of your bad habits that irritates me no end, one that you display far too much — impatience. Waiting takes patience, and because patience is a virtue, waiting without complaining shows that you possess that virtue.
“People who can’t wait, who squirm constantly like you do, who are no sooner at one place than they’re anxious to go to another, aren’t demonstrating as much trust as they should in the Almighty.”
“Shoot, Jaybird, you told me that a day in a man’s life is not even an eye blink to God. If I had eternity to work with as He does, I wouldn’t mind waiting.”
“Nonsense, boy! Waiting and trusting go hand in hand. If you wait on the Lord and trust Him, you will live in His kingdom eternally, where you won’t ever have to wait. If you accept waiting as part of life, you send the Lord a clear signal that your trust in Him is strong. Besides, the fidgeting impatience you so often demonstrate only leads to more frustration.
“Remember what David said in Psalms, Chapter 37: ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.’”
His lesson that day has remained with me ever since. When he said no more, I nodded and squeaked meekly, “Yes, Sir.”
Then he asked, “Do you want to take a nap, or go catch more crappie?”
Gazing at the beloved old man, I answered, “Whatever suits you, suits me just fine.”
“Shoot,” he said, “the Lord has eternity to fish, but we’ve only got this afternoon. The hotspot is waiting, the big crappie are waiting, and plenty of minnows are waiting to catch them: Besides, I agree with you: We’ve waited long enough.”
Jimmy Reed is an Oxford, Mississippi resident, Ole Miss and Delta State University alumnus, Vietnam Era Army Veteran, former Mississippi Delta cotton farmer and ginner, author, and retired college teacher.
This story is a selection from Jimmy Reed’s latest book, entitled The Jaybird Tales.
Copies, including personalized autographs, can be reserved by notifying the author via email (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)).
When I was growing up on my father’s Mississippi Delta farm, some of my childish faults annoyed Jaybird, my best friend and mentor. Because his patience had no limits, the old black man was particularly put off by my inability to wait.
One day as were putting poles, minnow buckets, paddles, and lunch in his fishing boat, I was fidgeting and kept saying, “Let’s hurry — I can’t wait to get on the lake.”
