There’s an all too common disease that thwarts
all the greatest efforts toward lasting self-improvement, and it’s called: Improvement Deficiency Syndrome (IDS).
IDS occurs in both men and women, old and
young, across seemingly every demographic and socio-economic sector. IDS appears early in some, has a late onset
in others. The symptoms of IDS include
the following:
- Persistent resistance to a positive attitude.
- The ability to hear hundreds of sermons and still not improve.
- Inborn selfishness that exhibits itself with repeated flare-ups.
- Sudden anger, jealousy, and easily taking offense at something obscure.
- Pervasive self-pity and the justification necessary to feed it.
- The making of excuses to cover one’s lack of growth.
- The continued placement of self at the center of the universe.
- The ability to see any self-serving action as justifiable and righteous.
These symptoms are serious. If you or anyone you know appears to be
exhibiting these effects, see your Ally immediately. If you detect that being in a positive
environment, reading scripture, and associating with uplifting people is having
no effect on your attitude, heart, or service towards others- seek help
fast. You may be a chronic IDS
sufferer.
Don’t take this lightly. Already, millions of people around the world
have been identified as having symptoms of IDS.
It has destroyed friendships, ruined marriages, derailed careers, and
lost souls. The trickiest part about
identifying the presence of IDS is that the afflicted person, having become
familiar with so much scripture, knows how he or she should be behaving. This leads to effective masking, as the
person with IDS “fakes” the correct behaviors to cover up for his or her lack
of a growing heart. Bad attitudes are
hidden under false smiles; anger and jealousy are shrouded in an artificially spiritual
attitude; selfishness and pity are positioned behind a platitude of positive
sayings and cryptic one-liners.
Beware of the sufferers of IDS. Such people are among the most self-deceived
of our species. They think by doing the
right things they are becoming the right person. They mistake deeds for development, actions
for intent, and works for heart. In
short, they think by acting better they actually have become better.
Should you encounter sufferers of IDS; administer
prayer immediately. Although the serious
debilitating effects of IDS can explain their behavior, it will never be
acceptable. Get them to see their Savior
immediately. Apply heavy doses of tough
love and an insistence upon a change that takes place deep inside, at the heart
level, spiritually. Nothing less has
ever been found to work.
-Jeremy "Tigger" Vass
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