The Spoiled Rotten Youngest Child

This isn’t really a sweetness post, but it starts with some sweetness.

Yesterday my youngest daughter climbed up on my lap, snuggled into me, and said “Daddy, it would make me so happy if you played Feast or Famine with me.”  (It’s a Joseph-in-Egypt themed boardgame of no great appeal).  I put her off but said I’d play a game with her later, which ended up being an even worse game called Googly Eyes, something like that, which was pictionary with colored lenses that distort your vision and a Candyland style board.  The thing is, it really did make her happy.  She was delighted to be playing with me.  That made me happy too.

She is a spoiled little princess.  The reason is is because she asks for what she wants and so transparently wants it that she can usually find a father or mother or older sibling who will do it with her.

She gets told no a lot, too, and when she does she is hurt.  It’s not manipulative hurt.  She really did want you to do this thing with her, and it really does hurt her that you said no.

But she doesn’t let that hurt sour her, she keeps asking for what she wants, and she so often gets it.

The message is something like the parable of the unjust judge and the teaching to become as a little child.  Let yourself just desire things, and ask for them, and feel hurt when God says no, and feel delight when God says yes.