I filled my car with gas and sauntered toward the convenience store to pay for my purchase. As I approached the door, I was taken aback by a young woman crouched in front of the glass entrance door. Turned out she was negotiating through the glass with her three-year-old who was still inside. At first it struck me as humorous—even cute. I stopped and stood patiently behind the prostrate mother as she pled with Mason (names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent) to “stop holding the door and come get in the car.” I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but I could see this was classic battle of wills between an intelligent, contemporary mother and her “self-empowered” child.
When I was growing up, parents had not yet evolved into artful negotiators. In fact, they were terrible negotiators. When it came to obeying, I was offered two choices: life or death. So, to see this well-dressed woman negotiate using carefully chosen words in a low, steady tone with a toddler promised to be pure entertainment.
I couldn’t drive off without paying for my purchase, but I couldn’t get into the store either. My initial patience was based on the assumption Mason’s mom would tire of negotiating and resort to corrective action. But apparently the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree; Mason and his mother proved to be equally matched. Borrowing a page from Dr. Phil, I wanted to ask her, “So… how’s that working for you?”
I was a rebellious youngster myself and so I know rebellion when I see it. Little Mason was not to be moved. He was a rock! It seemed clear to me that this little bugger was in full-on rebellion as he glared back at his mother with unmasked contempt. He wasn’t going be dissuaded easily.
Through a furrowed brow, I broke my silence, “What does he want?” Noticing me for the first time, the woman stood matter-of-factly and answered, “Oh, he’s sad because I wouldn’t purchase something he wanted, and as you can see he’s very upset.” She looked like a doctor studying an X-ray and remarkably showed no signs of exasperation. I couldn’t say the same for myself. Seeing that Mason’s open rebellion was part of their daily routine, I decided it wasn’t going to be part of mine.
Have words tumbled out of your mouth before you realized you were speaking?
From deep within me…from a galaxy far, far away… words tumbled forth. Words I’ve since discovered are no longer acceptable, and perhaps with good reason. With no forethought, I blurted out, “He needs his butt spanked!”
The world moved in slow motion for a moment. I had apparently uttered something repulsive, because modern-mom turned on me with venom in her voice. She pronounced that people like me are the reason we live in a violent society. She went on to explain that I was a beast to even suggest she use physical correction on Mason, making it clear that people like me were responsible for violence in our culture.
What do you say to that? I simply shrugged, excused myself and pulled the door open with little Mason in tow. I gotta’ hand it to him, the little guy had the strength to hang onto the door even as it drug him skidding across the “thanks-for-shopping-with-us” mat and out into the real world.
The cashier expressed her gratitude. Shaking her head, she said the standoff began long before I arrived. To be honest, I’m not necessarily proud of my aggressive solution to Mason’s protest. The whole situation saddened me.
Each week, I enjoy writing about our Heavenly Father’s incredible love and patience. But every once in a while we all need to be reminded, like Mason, that God is God and we are not. Our Heavenly Father’s commandments to honor and obey Him aren’t for the purpose of stroking His ego, but to ensure our safe passage through this confusing world.
“So it’s paramount that you keep the commandments of God, your God, walk down the roads he shows you and reverently respect him.” Deuteronomy 8:6
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.