James 5:7-10: The Seasons of Half-Baked Ideas

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. - James 5:7-10

In the computer business, the shipments of new systems always rises in an annual cycle called "back-to-school" and "black friday".  Back-to-school (from June to September) reflects the times when students are buying systems to use for use in the next school year. Black Friday refers to the gift giving season which lasts from around Thanksgiving up through New Years.

The chips, peripherals and features of computer systems are all timed so that the systems can be built in time to meet these windows because of the huge demand that happens during that period. Computer companies adjust their earnings calendars to reflect the fact that Q1 and Q2 are cold and Q3 and Q4 are hot in terms of sales. It makes the earnings look a bit strange when viewed as a chart-low low high high.

But if you have been in the computer industry as long as I have, this cycle is as regular and expected as the planting and harvest of grain. There is a busy season and a slack season, a season when money flows easily and another when money comes hard. The key is to make best use of each season. In the computer industry, it is moving from a focus on production and delivery to a focus on preparation and evaluation.

I think that these verses are saying the same thing: see each season in life for what God intends for it, not what we would like for it. If we try to short-circuit the process, we will fail to meet God and will simply pass him by in our grumbling fretting. Why are we surprised? 

Instead we should be grateful. In the computer industry, there are a lot of half-baked ideas that need some time and thought to bring them to fruition. Likewise, there are a lot of half-baked lives that need some time and reflection to bring them to maturity. Use each season as God intended.