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By Dr. James L. Snyder

After my last doctor’s visit, I went to the Publix pharmacy to pick up new medicine.

I was early at the store, and my medicine wasn’t quite ready. So, I decided to walk around Publix and get a little exercise.

Walking down one aisle, I noticed a little boy who seemed to be having some problems. He was arguing with his mother, stamping his feet and telling her, “I want that candy.”

I smiled and went down another aisle, and there was another little boy who was angrily talking to his mother, stamping his feet and telling her, “I deserve those cookies. I want them now.”

When I got home, I got a cup of coffee, sat on my easy chair, and began thinking. I couldn’t get those three boys out of my head as they were acting like spoiled brats.

As I was reflecting on those boys, I had a terrible thought. I don’t know where this thought came from, and I would like to chase it down the aisle. But when I was their age, I was also a spoiled brat.

When I recall those spoiled brat days, I remember just how profitable they were. I was able to get most of the things I really wanted.

Those were the golden days of being a spoiled brat. Whatever I wanted, I could get just by being a spoiled brat. At the time, I was very good at that, and I got much of what I wanted.

I’m not sure how long that spoiled brat era lasted, but I had the advantage of it all those times.

Sitting in my chair thinking about this, I had another thought.

Now that I’m married, how would The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage deal with me reinventing my spoiled brat attitude?

Could I get what I wanted just by acting like a spoiled brat? Would she cave to all of my desires just because I was acting like a spoiled brat? Maybe I could get an Apple Fritter.

Just as I was thinking about where to start, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came home.

She walked into the living room and said, “You will never believe what I saw at one of the thrift stores this afternoon. There was this little boy down one aisle that was going into some kind a temper tantrum to make sure his mother bought him what he wanted. He sure did make a scene there in that store.”

She paused momentarily, and I wasn’t quite sure what she would say next, but then she said it.

“If I was that boy’s mother, and he ever did anything like that with me, I would take him home, spank him and ground him for a month. Nobody has any right to act like a spoiled brat.”

My question for the afternoon was finally solved.

This got me thinking about what I read in the Bible. It was something Jesus said. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

Thinking about this, would a spoiled brat like being treated the same way? I need to treat people the way I would like to be treated. Nice deserves nice.

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.com, website www.jamessnyderministries.com