But patience is a gift of God, a virtue commanded of those who seek to serve the ONE Who Is -- and HIS gift, one among so many thousands they cannot be counted, is the gift of virtue. Virtue is strength of character -- integrity and honor -- and essential to integrity and honor is patience, among a thousand other positive and gentle behaviors that foster the life of virtue and integrity in others. To have patience while others reach the maturity to find virtue of their own: that is essential to teaching others to love the ONE Who Is -- and surely an humble creature, who admits dependency on the ONE and petitions for such a great gift to enable service to the ONE, shall receive such a mercy from the LORD of Mercy -- since we petition for Mercy only so that we may better serve Him.