You Asked For It

MOMMY, I WANT IT NOW!!!

GIVE IT TO ME! THAT'S MINE!

SHE'S LYING! SHE DID IT FIRST!

Have you ever experienced toddler meltdown? You know, the moment when your toddler (or one you are observing) wants what they want and if they don't get it, all hell breaks loose. And after yelling at you, throwing tantrums, emotional tirades that swing from angry to hysterical, and endless wailing, we give in.

Because we can't take it anymore.

In light of our recent political antics, I was reminded of a time when this happened in the past with some really bad consequences:

“Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them. So, Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who had asked of him a king. He said, "This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." ~ 1 Samuel 8:9-17

History is replete with king after king who conquered, ruled, and slaughtered their way toward oppressive dominance. When you look at the statistics, kingdoms come and go.

We forget the body count accumulated along the way.

Let us remember the word of the Lord.

After all, He did give us exactly what we asked for.