Sesame Street is not the only place I discover the Grouch, and he is not merely Oscar, a fictional character to entertain toddlers. I often hear similar speech pouring from my own mouth and see his frowns in the bathroom mirror. Irritability lies right below my skin and surfaces when I spy oncoming vessels of opposition in my periscope. Alarms sound and I go into attack mode releasing torpedoes of sarcasm, fueling the fires of conflict.
I imagine a tape recorder with God capturing my conversations for replay before family and friends. How could I allow myself, His child to be so out of control? I could blame others. I heard many sarcastic remarks while growing up; the one opposing me is unkind. No, the fault lies here; the accusing finger points back to me. I am a recipient of my own bitterness and the shrapnel victimizes all in its trajectory.
I am raising the white flag; I surrender to God and admit my irritability and my inability to master it. His Holy Spirit is my way to a gentle spirit and victory under His banner of love. “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth (I Corinthians 13:4-6 NRS).” Grouch can live forever in a trashcan; I am preparing for glory land!
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