defiance..

Broken pieces of pottery were scattered all over the floor. A ball rolled across the room from where Danny was standing. He didn't look the least sorry for what had happened.

"Danny, why wouldn't you listen! Now look what you've done!" quipped Mr. Wilson, obviously upset about the broken vase.

"I don't want to! I don't want to! I don't want to!" Danny retorted back.

"Behave yourself Danny! If you had stopped playing with the ball in the hallway like I told you to, none of this would have happened."

"But why should I listen to you? I can do whatever I want, I don't have to listen to you!"

"Silly little child, you don't know what you are saying. You know what this means," said Mr. Wilson as he gestured towards the rod which hung by the stairs.

Danny replied in defiance, "So what?! Spank me if you will, I will not listen to you!". He smirked. He was proud that he stood his ground and silently congratulated himself for such an achievement.

Mr Wilson looked at Danny with love, and he was filled with grief. Oh, he loved Danny deeply but Danny's attitude incensed him and was like a stench in his nostrils. If only Danny would listen. He gazed intensely into Danny's eyes.

Danny stared back without flinching at single bit. He reiterated slowly, this time with a conviction stronger than before, "spank me if you will, I will never listen to you.."

-

There are severe limitations to this story obviously, but nevertheless it does give one some idea of what wrath is like. And it gives us much reason to be thankful that we have been spared a wrath a thousandfold more intense.