Sulky Sue is a cute little blond, whose angelic expression can turn ugly in an instant. Whenever she doesn't get her way, she screams, pouts, holds her breath, or otherwise makes the entire family miserable. Mom and Dad have given in to her tantrums so often that she has come to expect everything to go as she wishes. They are now just plain scared of her.
So what happens when Sue grows up? She still expects to get everything she wants, and whoever is in the way will be sorry if she does not. Complaining has become her way of life. She is not happy unless there is something to gripe about. And gripe she will, even to the point of public scenes. Preachers, teachers, elders and deacons instantly tense up when they see her approaching. Is Sue happy today, or did I do something else to upset her?
Grown-up Sue has never outgrown the egocentrism of a child. She sits back and watches, gathering more and more "righteous" anger each day that passes because, you see, everyone is out to get her. Even family and friends are guilty of treating her unfairly, and with "malice aforethought." Nothing is ever accidental, and everyone always has her in mind when they say or do anything.
I once sat and talked with an older woman for about thirty minutes. In that short amount of time, she said, "_______ didn't like me and wanted to cause me trouble," three different times about three different people. I so badly wanted to ask, "And what did those three have in common? Having to deal with YOU." But I did not. Maybe I was scared of her, too.
Sue has let bitterness soak into her soul. She is never happy, at least not for long. She is looking for trouble everywhere. She takes everything personally, makes mountains out of molehills, and blames God for giving her a miserable life. For some reason, it never crosses her mind that she has pouted and moaned herself into becoming a crabby, peevish, irritable old woman (or man), and she cannot understand why people stay away from her. Tell her to count her blessings and you will be counting the days, months, or years until she speaks to you again. But it will probably be a great relief!
Life never goes the way we plan. Get your child used to the fact that he will have to patiently put up with drivers he thinks are idiots, bosses he can hardly stand, teachers he thinks are unfair, and neighbors who are nuisances. Tell him to "Get over it!" It happens to everyone and he is not so special that it will not happen to him too.
God's people have hope even in the midst of sorrow. Sulky Sue is too wrapped up in herself to see beyond this world to the glory of the next.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Cor 4:17,18
Dene Ward
So what happens when Sue grows up? She still expects to get everything she wants, and whoever is in the way will be sorry if she does not. Complaining has become her way of life. She is not happy unless there is something to gripe about. And gripe she will, even to the point of public scenes. Preachers, teachers, elders and deacons instantly tense up when they see her approaching. Is Sue happy today, or did I do something else to upset her?
Grown-up Sue has never outgrown the egocentrism of a child. She sits back and watches, gathering more and more "righteous" anger each day that passes because, you see, everyone is out to get her. Even family and friends are guilty of treating her unfairly, and with "malice aforethought." Nothing is ever accidental, and everyone always has her in mind when they say or do anything.
I once sat and talked with an older woman for about thirty minutes. In that short amount of time, she said, "_______ didn't like me and wanted to cause me trouble," three different times about three different people. I so badly wanted to ask, "And what did those three have in common? Having to deal with YOU." But I did not. Maybe I was scared of her, too.
Sue has let bitterness soak into her soul. She is never happy, at least not for long. She is looking for trouble everywhere. She takes everything personally, makes mountains out of molehills, and blames God for giving her a miserable life. For some reason, it never crosses her mind that she has pouted and moaned herself into becoming a crabby, peevish, irritable old woman (or man), and she cannot understand why people stay away from her. Tell her to count her blessings and you will be counting the days, months, or years until she speaks to you again. But it will probably be a great relief!
Life never goes the way we plan. Get your child used to the fact that he will have to patiently put up with drivers he thinks are idiots, bosses he can hardly stand, teachers he thinks are unfair, and neighbors who are nuisances. Tell him to "Get over it!" It happens to everyone and he is not so special that it will not happen to him too.
God's people have hope even in the midst of sorrow. Sulky Sue is too wrapped up in herself to see beyond this world to the glory of the next.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Cor 4:17,18
Dene Ward
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