In a world once ruled by retaliation—where justice meant “an eye for an eye”—patience had no place. Before Christ, the Law permitted vengeance, and impatience thrived in its loopholes. But something radical happened when the Lord of patience stepped into history.
Tertullian reminds us that with Christ came the grace of faith, and with faith, the birth of patience. No longer are we permitted to repay evil with evil—not even with a word. The bar is raised: to call someone a fool is to risk judgment. Why? Because love, not vengeance, is now the measure of our holiness.
“Love your enemies,” Jesus commands, “and pray for those who persecute you.” This is not weakness—it is the strongest form of resistance. It is the discipline of patience, forged in the fire of grace. It refuses to do harm, even to those who deserve it.
In this new law of love, the old law is not abolished but fulfilled. The justice of Christ is not retribution—it is transformation. And patience is its quiet, powerful witness.
Smitten With Goodness 