This story contains concepts not suitable for children. Please do not read this story to your child.
It hadn't been an easy life and by no choice of his own. Steven was born the oldest child of missionaries. The mission field is tough for anyone, but especially the children. Born into a lifestyle that required them to grow up in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language, and constantly scrutinized by everyone who knew how missionary children should act.
The other children had handled it better than Steven. He hated the things required of him. Most of all, he hated singing in church. He had a beautiful voice and it was noted by many. He knew he sang well, but hated being forced to use his talent whenever his parents decided.
When Steven was twelve, his parents--rather his mother, decided that the mission field was no place for kids and the entire family returned to the United States. Steven was happy to be home, although he knew very little about it. He knew he was where he belonged.
The transition to American education wasn't difficult because his parents enrolled him in a Christian school. Public school would have been too much.
Steven was allowed to transfer to public school when he started high school. There Steven was introduced to all kinds of wonderful things. For the first time Steven saw how people lived when they had money. He liked what he saw and determined to one day live like that.
He was introduced to drugs,
The other children had handled it better than Steven. He hated the things required of him. Most of all, he hated singing in church. He had a beautiful voice and it was noted by many. He knew he sang well, but hated being forced to use his talent whenever his parents decided.
When Steven was twelve, his parents--rather his mother, decided that the mission field was no place for kids and the entire family returned to the United States. Steven was happy to be home, although he knew very little about it. He knew he was where he belonged.
The transition to American education wasn't difficult because his parents enrolled him in a Christian school. Public school would have been too much.
Steven was allowed to transfer to public school when he started high school. There Steven was introduced to all kinds of wonderful things. For the first time Steven saw how people lived when they had money. He liked what he saw and determined to one day live like that.
He was introduced to drugs,
 but it wasn't something he was interested in. He had enough sense to stay away from that. Alcohol, on the other hand, had been another matter. Steven had received his first car when he turned 17 years old. It wasn't good, but it also wasn't too bad. It got him to school and back. But on the weekends, it delivered a lot of fun. With the luxury of living in a rural county, there were plenty of back roads for kids to meet as a group, enjoy a few beers, and do some major drag racing. One night he was in the lead, his girlfriend beside him. Roger was closing in on him from behind. There was no way Steven was going to lose to Roger. He took his foot off the accelerator for only a second and then stomped it. The front of his car rose up about a foot and then it took off. Steven left Roger in the dust. He saw the distance between him and Roger increasing in the rear view mirror. Too bad he didn't see the fallen tree. Steven remembered something jerking his car before they went over whatever it was. He felt the rear of the car come down hard on something before it rolled. The next time Steven opened his eyes was in the emergency room. He looked around. "Where's Veronica?" The doctors and nurses didn't seem to hear him. "Where's Veronica?" He said as loudly as his weak body could. Again no one answered. Then his parents came in the room. His mom had been crying and his dad had tears in his eyes. "Where's Veronica?" He asked them. "She's in another room." His dad said. And his mother cried. "They are prepping you for surgery right now." "What's wrong with me?" "There's a lot wrong. They are going to do what they can, but there may be more surgeries later on." About that time the nurse gave him an injection and Steven fell into a deep sleep. When he woke, he was in a hospital room. His dad was sitting on the left side of the bed reading the Bible. His mother was on the right side. "Am I going to be alright?" "Yes, you are going to be fine. They repaired everything they could, but there was some damage in your neck that they couldn't repair for fear of paralyzing you. You may have to learn to live with the pain." "How's Veronica?" His dad sighed and his mother cried. "Somebody tell me." "Veronica didn't make it, son. She died on impact. She was pronounced dead at the scene." Steven couldn't believe it. His stupid pride had cost his girlfriend her life.  It took Steven years to recover from the self blame he felt for the accident. He purposely wouldn't allow himself to get serious with anyone. He attempted college, but he wasn't interested in what they were teaching. He was a people person and didn't need books to teach him how to win friends and influence people. He took an administrative job at a locally owned establishment. The pay wasn't good and neither were the hours, but it paid his bills. Then came the day he had to reprimand an employee. She didn't take it well and retaliated by accusing him of inappropriate behavior. Without any discussion of the matter, he was terminated. Steven was angry, tired, and humiliated. He had never been fired from a job and especially for a false accusation. He picked up a few jobs here and there, but just couldn't make a go of it anywhere. Then through a series of events, Steven was offered a job that paid very well. It was exactly what he wanted. It was outside sales that he loved. Success didn't begin to describe his accomplishments. The bosses were very impressed with him. They bragged on him and he told everyone who would listen just how good he was at his job. His family saw his head swelling. His dad worried and his mother cried. Pride had always been a problem for Steven and his parents were afraid that one day, it would be his undoing. It wasn't long before the only thing Steven wanted to talk about was how much money he made. His friends stopped inviting him to group activities. They were tired of hearing about his boat, four wheeler, dune buggy, and other toys. When someone mentioned it, Steven replied, "Oh they're just jealous because I make so much money." One Sunday his dad preached a sermon based on Proverbs 16:18. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And his mother cried. Steven sat in the back playing games on his IPAD, as he did each Sunday morning. He felt no need to listen to the preacher--his dad. His life was good and it was because he did his job better than anyone else. He deserved the good things that had come his way. At least that's how he rationalized it to himself. Steven loved playing video games. In fact, he was beginning to spend most of his day in the video arcade. He was paid salary plus commission, so he worked in the morning and spent the afternoon playing video games. The only problem was he hadn't gotten a commission check in several months. He counted on that money to pay for his lifestyle. The bills were piling up and the money wasn't coming. Of course Steven couldn't see that it was because he wasn't getting new customers like he did when he first started working. He took care of the customers he had, but did very little else.  One evening Steven's phone rang. It was his boss. "Hey buddy. How's it going?" David said. "Fine" Steven replied. "Do you have any pressing appointments tomorrow?" "No, I don't think so." "Good, can you come by the office some time tomorrow?" "Sure. I'll come right before lunch." If I go before lunch, I'll still have time to go to the arcade. Steven thought. Steven took a little extra time with his attire the next day. When he got to the office, the main boss from New York was there. Steven smiled. This would be another time that Mr. Mencheck would praise him. Steven shook hands with everyone in the room, beginning with Mr. Mencheck. Then he took the seat David offered him. "How has everything been going?" Mr. Mencheck asked. "Oh fine." Steven said. "Are you taking care of your customers alright?" "Yes. They know they can call me any time, day or night." "Good, son, good. Here's the thing. Why do you think we hired you?" "Because I was the best man for the job, I guess." Mr. Mencheck laughed. "Well that is true, but that wasn't exactly what I was getting at. Why do you think we hire any salesman?" "To sell." "That's right, but there's another reason. We hire people to make money for our company. You aren't doing that." "Excuse me sir, but I broke a sales record the first month I was here." "Yes you did and we couldn't have been happier." "I was top salesman at the end of my first year." "Yes, you were. We were all amazed. That had never been done before." "Then I don't see a problem." "The problem is that you aren't doing any of that now. In fact you are the bottom salesmen this month." "I don't understand." "Well Steven, my boy, you simply aren't putting in the time and effort you did when we hired you. You seem to be spending your time elsewhere. Can you explain that?" At that moment Steven's super ego reared its ugly head. "I am not on the clock." He yelled. "If I were, you couldn't afford me. I work anytime my customers need me. It doesn't matter if it is 2 a.m. or 3 p.m. I am there if my customers need me." "I'm sure you are. We have received no complaints from your customers. However you haven't brought in a new customer in over a year." "If my customers aren't complaining, I don't see what the problem is. I think you've been getting complaints from other salesmen who are jealous of me." Steven's arrogant attitude came bursting through his words. "I think you need to take a step back, young man. You might want to remember who you're talking to." Mr. Mencheck advised. "I know you're my boss, but I don't back down when I think I'm right." "I understand. You are now right about your customers, right about your stand, and right in the unemployment line. Thank you for working for us these past two years. Your services are no longer needed." Steven stormed out of the office. Sitting in his truck, he calmed down enough to realize what had just happened. He had just been fired. That evening he had dinner with his parents. He told them about being 'let go'. When his dad asked why, Steven replied, "I think they were tired of paying me so much money. I don't care. They can keep their money. I'm a fantastic salesman and another company will hire me and be glad to have me." Lying in bed that night, Steven's dad expressed concern for his son. "I'm afraid his pride is getting the best of him. Let's pray for our boy." His dad voiced their concerns to a loving God and his mama cried. Weeks went by with no job offer. Steven was getting nervous. His bills were stacking up and he saw no end to this situation. After two months he went to his parents and asked for money to pay his truck note and mortgage. It was a humiliating time. "Son, I know you need help, but we don't make that kind of money. Your truck note is more than our mortgage and your mortgage is three times ours. There is no way we can pay your bills. I'm sorry." His dad said with tears in his eyes. Steven understood. His dad was a poor preacher and had barely put food on the table when the kids were growing up. Within another month, he was hiding his truck to keep it from being repossessed and his lending agent had started foreclosure proceedings. His credit was already ruined because of the expensive boat he owned and now couldn't sell or pay for.  One Saturday night, Steven sat on his soon-to-be repossessed couch and considered his options. Everything he had worked for was gone. He had no money and soon all of his precious treasures would be gone also. What was he to do now? He was deep in thought when he heard his cell phone ringing. "Hello?" "Hey, Steven. It's Dad. Just checking on you. I wanted to remind you that I love you and your mom loves you. Most of all, Christ loves you. He died on the cross for you. He is hurting as much now as you are. He can take your burdens if you just let Him." "Right. I know that." Steven said as he hung up. He hated being a preacher's kid. He was tired of being preached to every time something went wrong. Why couldn't his dad just give advice like other dads? Steven went to the always full liquor cabinet to help him pass the night and maybe gain some courage. By 3:00 a.m. Steven had decided exactly what he needed to do. Walking to the garage was difficult but he finally made it. Through his drunken eyes, he thought he was in complete control. There was nothing wrong with him. He backed the truck out of the garage He drove quickly and recklessly. It wasn't long before he came to the bridge on the outskirts of town. He had driven over that bridge thousands of times. As a teenager, he had jumped off of it hundreds of times. It was illegal, but since there was little other entertainment in town, law enforcement looked the other way.  Steven stopped at the bottom of the bridge. There was no one behind him, which wasn't unusual in this sleepy little town. He put the truck in reverse and backed up about 100 yards. Then he floored the accelerator. He didn't look at his speedometer. He couldn't have read it anyway. Just as he got to the top of the bridge, he turn the truck sharply to the right. The truck crashed through the guardrails without hesitation. As the truck plummeted Steven fell forward, hit his head on the steering wheel and was only semiconscious. When the truck finally sank, the water was colder than Steven remembered from his childhood. It jarred him out of his dazed condition only slightly. He settled his body against the back of the seat and allowed the dark, murky water to fill his mind, body and soul. The last thing he saw was hazy flashing lights through the dark water. Some people thought Steven died because he accidentally lost control of his truck. Others said he died because he was drinking too much. Some believed he died intentionally. No one knew the real reason. Steven died because he allowed Satan to control his ego and pride. When everything fell apart, Steven's ego, pride, and Satan all failed him. |
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