Tossing Out the Spoiled Stuff

     When I learned that our family of dad, mom, and 3 little boys would be adding a little girl to the mix, I knew I was in for a whole new adventure.  One of the first ways that this was revealed to me was when I began trying to buy my baby girl clothing.  It would take many racks of onesies to find ones that didn't have "drama queen", "spoiled rotten", or "diva", printed on them.  Something about these labels just made me ill!  Please understand that I have a minor in drama and certainly have my Oscar-worthy moments in life.  I'm learning to tame this part of me, though, because I just don't think it displays the lovely princess God intends me to be.  Yes, I said princess!  Daughter of the Most High King!  Princess in deed!  Just NOT a diva.
     My little princess daughter is now 5 years old.  I remind her constantly of her royalty.  She is reminded that she is expected to be a humble, kind, servant, as any good princess should be.  I remember a time when she was around the age of 1, and she was angry with her Sunday School teacher.  I was told that she was standing on the tile with her lower lip quivering.  She then walked over to the carpet, so her precious princess head would not be hurt, and proceeded to lay down on the more comfortable floor and scream. (She gets it from her dad, lol. ;-)  That is the diva/drama queen that we try to direct onto a new path, a lovely "daughter of King" path. 
     During Bible story time yesterday we were learning about God providing for us.  We were discussing John 6:1-12 .  We discussed how Jesus fed 5,000 people with one boy's basket of food.  We learned how God provides for exactly what we need, and sometimes He gives us more than we'd ever need!  (John 6:12-13).  I told them that just as Mommy and Daddy don't always give you all of your wants, neither will God, but your needs will always be met.  We talked about the contrast between this story, where there was plenty left over, and the story of the manna, where the Israelites could take only what they needed for a day.  We discussed how God always meets our needs, and sometimes he even says, "yes" to our wants...but sometimes he says, "no".  I asked the children why they thought God did things this way, and they said so we wouldn't be spoiled.  I asked them what spoiled meant.  My princess said, "rotten".  We discussed rotten meat.
     I was reminded of a time that we had a horrible stench in our garage.  We would walk through the door and be slapped in the face with the nastiest smell.  I was so scared to look for the offender.  I just knew that a rat, mouse, squirrel, or raccoon had found it's way in there and died.  I avoided the garage while my husband was at work.  I could not imagine handling whatever it was that I was about to find by myself.  As I waited, I spent my time mustering up the courage to deal with the mess.  We made our way into the garage when he got home.  I walked over to a box that was near the large freezer that we have in our garage.  There sat my beautiful, expensive pot roast.  One of my helpers that was unloading the groceries for me had sat it down and forgotten about it.  We wrapped it in several bags and held it out as far away from our noses as we could, and carried it to the trash can.  I grieved over my wonderful pot roast that could've been.
    That made me think, spoiled rotten meat is unpleasant to be around.  It is no longer suitable for it's purpose.  It cannot become the lovely dish that it was intended to become.  Doesn't it happen the same with people?  Truly spoiled people are not pleasant to be around.  They may be denying themselves of the plans God intended for them, simply because they have forgotten that the world doesn't revolve around them.  This revelation makes it a little strange to see sparkling letters that spell out "Spoiled Rotten" pasted on a licence plate.  I don't think of sparkles when I think of rotten. 
     I don't say this to insult anyone who has these things.  I know sometimes this stuff is bought as more of a novelty than a declaration.  Still, I pray that children would feel less spoiled and more loved.  That they would be loved enough that it would be worth seeing the disappointment on their face, if it means they've learned to hear and accept the word, "no" with the grace of true sons and daughters of a Holy King.  A Holy King that will sometimes tell them no. 
     The pot roast was ruined.  It would've taken an act of God to restore it to usefulness.  God COULD have made my pot roast fresh and pleasant, but you see, God is not as much in the business of restoring pot roasts as he is in the business of restoring people.  The spoiled meat was a lost cause, but a spoiled person still has mercy available to them!  Praise God that he never holds us far away from his presence and tosses us in the trash!  We can approach him with repentive hearts, even if we are starting to reek of selfishness and greed, and he will be faithful to restore us to our royal loveliness!
     Finally, I also explained to my children that there are other reasons God doesn't give us all of our wants.  Sometimes our wants aren't in line with his desires for us.  Sometimes, they would be a distraction from the work he is trying to do in us.  Sometimes, he just wants us to depend on him.  If my life is filled with all of my wants, I may not notice the joy and peace that he has provided.  If I'm overflowing with my desires, I might not get to overflow with his desires for me.  If I am always focused on the next thing I want, I'll never enjoy what he has already blessed me with.
1 John 2:17
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.


1 Timothy 6:9
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction
 
Galatians 5:16
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Romans 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Romans 8:5
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.