Pain In The Neck

Read Genesis 19:15-17, 24-26

Whitney turned her head and looked out the car’s back window. If she squinted, she could just see their old house. “I don’t want to move,” she said as tears ran down her cheeks. “I want to stay in Greenwood with my friends.”

Mom put a hand out and gently turned Whitney’s face toward her. “I’ll miss my friends, too,” she said, “but Dad has a new job, and we have to move.” Whitney pulled away. She wanted to look at Greenwood as long as she could. “Let’s sing,” suggested Mom. Whitney didn’t feel like singing. She went on pouting and turned her face back toward the familiar old town.

“We’re a family, Whitney,” said her father. “We’ll help each other.” Whitney pretended she didn’t hear him.

When they stopped for lunch, Whitney wanted to stay in the car, but she was hungry. She stomped into the restaurant and slid into the booth. “Did you see the circus wagons when you drove into town?” asked the waitress who came to serve them.

The girl in the next booth piped up. “Did the clowns wave to you?” she asked Whitney. “They waved to us.” But Whitney had missed the clowns.

“Whitney, do you remember the story about Lot’s wife?” asked Mom. “When God wanted her to go to a new place she didn’t want to go, she kept looking back. And because she looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt. She couldn’t help her family anymore. She couldn’t make friends.”

Mom put her arm around Whitney and drew her close. “Dad and I need you, honey,” she said. “We need your friendship and your smile. All we saw this morning was the back of your head.”

Whitney rubbed her neck. She had missed the circus wagons and the clowns. Her heart felt heavy from sadness, but she hoped she wouldn’t miss any other exciting things. And she didn’t want to hurt her parents either. “Well,” she said, “I’m glad I didn’t turn into a pillar of salt.” Then she smiled. “But I sure got a pain in my neck.”

How about you?

Are you cheerful when there are changes you don’t like? Are you a good family member when things don’t go your way? Sometimes it’s hard to understand God’s plan, but you need to trust him at all times.

Memorize:

“I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever.” Psalm 52:8