“I also visited several healing meetings... and became angry with what appeared to be the manipulation of people for the material gains of the faith healer... Dressing like sideshow barkers. Pushing people over and calling it the power of God. And money - they were always asking for more, leading people to believe that if they gave they would be healed..." - John Wimber”
I have six grandchildren from 1 year to 10 years old. It's funny how much their ... let's call it naughtiness... amuses me. It wasn't as amusing when it was my kids behaving in such ways, but grand kids are different. Okay, they aren't different, I am. In some ways I have more patience and in others I have none. Take a car seat for instance, what an irritatingly complicated tangled mess of buckles and straps. To get a little one in or out of the car is a nightmare. I do much better with the ones old enough that all I have to do is ask, "Are you buckled?"
What also amuses me is the different ways they demand attention. The second to the youngest is almost three. When he wants me to look at something or repair a toy, he shoves it in my face or forces it into my hand. There is no asking. When I am talking to someone else and he decides it's time for me to focus on him, he will grab my face and turn it to face him. I laugh, though if an adult was to do this to me, my ears would get hot with irritation. He will also grab my hand and start leading me where he needs me to be to fulfill his want, for instance, the snack drawer.
Not that I like comparing my grand babies to the enemy, but it works as far as manipulation and/or distraction. One difference is: with the grand kids it's their maturity that is important to change their behavior, but with the enemy it is our maturity that changes our behavior. As the grand kids get older the way they demand attention changes. They may learn to raise their voice, cry, or as my oldest granddaughter does, lay their head against me and sigh. A sad face is sure to get grandma's attention. Most days it works, but others it irritates. Who wants to be manipulated?
I can wait to see how they work me as teenagers. I have a had a few bioteens and stepteens. I have seen it all, but I have some intelligent and creative grandbabies so this could get entertaining. The enemy has been entertaining. He used to boldly throw in my face my mistakes, temptations and addictions. He used to demand my attention and take my hand and I followed to comply with whatever mess he wanted to bury me in. Now, he is a little more sneaky. He throws out things in front of me I didn't even know I wanted. In fact if asked, I would have said, "No interest, thanks."
Addictions. Our little cycles of deceit. I can honestly say the desire for alcohol rarely, if ever crosses my mind any more. I might think I would like a drink, but quickly realize, I am looking for an escape. Maybe that escape I am looking for is from stress or even boredom, but I see it, admit it, and the desire leaves. Lately, the addiction I am fighting more than I have in years is food. Yep, I like some food. Food is a difficult addiction because you can go your whole life without alcohol, but food is a whole different bag of cookies. I have found I battle it more since the kids are gone and most nights, I have only myself to feed. Drive though windows are a curse. When you write, you sit too much also. Then the enemy opens up the snack drawer and a little depression jumps out at you.
Focus, we need to focus, right? Self discipline. It's easier when the enemy slaps something in my hand he wants me to pay attention to. I can throw it down and say "No way". But when like a teen he just leaves it on the counter in front of me in a bag marked Oreos, it's a little more difficult to see the temptation, the sin, the addiction, the crime in it.
As we get close to God, He is going to reveal things in our life that aren't pretty. We will see the patterns of bitterness, anger, manipulation and hurt that have cycled in our relationships. - Chip Ingram
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