Wolf, Wolf, Woooooolf!

I'm becoming convinced that, for some people, there are three basic needs in life: air, water, and… drama. And not necessarily in that order.

Why can't things just be mundane and normal? Why must everything be life or death? Some folks wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they didn't have a crisis happening.

But because they define themselves as victims or martyrs they often need to manufacture drama in their lives (which for situations like this I pronounce in a way that rhymes with Alabama). Whenever possible these people will:

• be offended
• ignore obvious solutions
  
• cry wolf
• feign injury and illness
• declare ultimatums
• speak in absolutes… every single time!
• advertise their plight to anyone who will listen
• express absolute pessimism
• miss opportunities so they can be pitied later
  

No blessings are counted. No cloud has a silver lining. Every glass is half empty. Every gift is too small and too late.

As a minister, I see a lot of these folks. They want attention and may be lacking the social skills to relate in a more normal way. I don't think most folks do this on a conscious level but they do actively seek negative attention, since victims are given sympathy and handouts and have their deadlines extended.

The question is how do you get someone to stop acting this way? How do you convey without hurting their feelings how taxing it is to be around a person like this? How do you convince them that they are hurting themselves and those around them with this attitude? Lord, give me the right words! How can you be compassionate and gentle and still rebuke these nattering nabobs of negatitivism?

(Thanks for the alliteration there Spiro)