Monday, April 21, 2008

Sulkers...Grow Up!

They are 'sulkers'! I can be good at it. King Ahab was a great 'sulker'. In I Kings 21:1-4, he wanted Naboth's vineyard. He offered Naboth a fair price but Naboth did not want to part with it as it was an inheritance from his father. What did King Ahab do? HE SULKED! He went home, laid on his bed with his face turned toward the wall, stuck out that bottom lip and refused supper! He did not get what he wanted and felt he was mistreated in some way and he sulked. The king that owned half the country. Houses, palaces all over. He had troops for fighting but that did not matter. A host of people surrounded him and he had the power to command anything he wished. In all this, he wanted a little piece of land that a man refused him and King Ahab was unhappy. You can almost hear him, "Wah...wah..."!

We read this and my mind went to many in the church today. Those super-sensitive that see every refusal as a personal insult, which leads them to childish tendencies and childish tantrums! They sulk because something isn't done their way and they start holding everyone in their paths hostage because of pouty sulking. People do not get their way and it makes them so upset that everything that is the nearest and dearest will pay!!! These tyrant brethren are visited and reassured but many times to no avail. They simply must go through their time of sulking! It can lead into leaving a congregation and in order to make it right, they will point their finger at someone or some situation to make it look like it was for spiritual reasons. What an evil game sulkers play!

I have seen it in homes between husbands and wives. (I have had to repent of this in the past!) There is no physical violence but when one sulks, they put their family in the state of dread! Families that live with one individual, who time after time sulk because something is not done a particular way or a word spoken that gets one out of joint. They stew about a situation, a word said, or a refused physical contact and will sulk for days on end. No talking, a hateful disposition, sharp words, a scowl that one would give to an enemy and that sulking spirit soaks into everyone in the home and reaches their innermost being. If a stranger visits, they can leave. But a family day after day have to endure the childish, juvenile attitude that strikes all the hearts in that family. And why do husband/wives sulk? To make certain the other knows they have been refused or hurt and they will play this all the way to the end until they get what they want while everyone else suffers. In the name of our Lord, for the sake of the soul...grow up and get over it! Learn to love and stop being self centered. You might find things go much easier and your lip won't get stepped on!!!!

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