Entitled

What do you think you deserve?

We are a world of "it is my right" and "I deserve to be...." Just look at some of our advertisements; "You deserve a break today" (McDonalds), "Have it your way" (Burger King), "Just do it" (Nike). I am sure you could come up with dozens yourself. It has been since the beginning of time that we want it our way. It is part of human flesh, me, I, we, our. Life centers around me!

Look at children from the beginning, what is one of their first words they say, mine! They don't want to share their toys, their food, kisses, etc. My sweet Abby from the very beginning had her own sense of personal fashion from the time she was little. I couldn't tell her what to wear or how to wear it. She thought it was her right to dress herself and at times, me too! Dylan has a mind of his own, thinking that you should think like he does and do things on his time frame. They forget at times that they are children and we are the parents. They forget that everything is "given" to them. They come to believe over the years that they "deserve" certain activities, traditions, gifts given at holidays, services done for them out of our love for them. They forget that lessons, sports, vacations, cars are a privilege not a given right.

But, are we as adults any different? Really? How many times have you gone into a restaurant and the service was sub par? We think that we deserve to have our drinks refilled, for them to take our order as soon as we sit down, our orders to be absolutely without error, the food to be hot when it comes out and our check to be returned to us as soon as we take our last bite and lay our fork down. We deserve for our children to treat us with respect at all times regardless of their age, stage or location. We have the right to say whatever we think or feel regardless of who is listening. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people say that they have the right to feel happy in their marriage. There is no mention of taking personal responsibility for the unhappiness or working things out, the person just deserves to be treated right in all circumstances. If we work hard in our jobs, we "deserve" a raise. If we meet a personal goal, we "deserve" to treat ourselves with something materially. If we work hard, we deserve to go on vacation even if we don't have the funds to do so. The list goes on and on of all the things that we deserve and all the ways that our rights have been violated.

There is a parable (fictional story to tell a principle) that Jesus told during his three years of ministry.
There was an estate manager who went out early in the morning to hire workers in his vineyard. They agreed on a wage of a dollar a day, and went to work. Later about nine o'clock, the manager saw some other men hanging around the town square unemployed. He told them to go to work in his vineyard and he would pay them a fair wage. They went. He did the same thing at noon, and again at three o'clock. At five o'clock he went back and found still others standing around. He said, Why are you standing around all day doing nothing?" They said, "because no one hired us." He told them to go to work in his vineyard. When the day's work was over, the owner of the vineyard instructed his foreman, "Call the workers in and pay them their wages. Start with the last hired and go on to the first. Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar". When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, "These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun." He replied to the one speaking for the rest, "friend, I haven't been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar didn't we? So take it and go. I decided to give it to the one who came last the same as you. Can't I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?" The point of this story that Jesus was making was the last shall be first. Matthew 20:1-16

However, I think it applies to being "entitled". We have expectations and preconceived notions about how we should be treated and what we are justified in receiving at a given moment. However, when we feel we are slighted or short changed we become frustrated, bent out of shape, angry because we have been treated unjustly. What do we actually "deserve"? Psalm 103:10 says He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities (those things we do wrong). Sin deserves death! (Romans 6:23) We all deserve it!

There are two things that I think about freedom and having rights. The first is found in I Peter 2:16-17 Live as free men; but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil, live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone. Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king (or those in authority). Secondly, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Philippians 2:3-4


What do you feel entitled to? Are there things that you think you deserve? Is it truly something you need or is it your expectations of others? How do you live as a free person? Do you use your freedom for God's glory or your own personal gain?