Entitlement

What is that instinct that is built in to us that wants things bigger, better, newer, more expensive?

I’ve spent some time over the last few days thinking about what it must be like to look at the way Christians live; moreover, at the way I live. An astounding piece of a case-study, I am.

As I have been taking note of how we as Christians operate our lives, it was not long before a lot of things came into view. We have an entitlement perspective on life when we are the very ones who should not feel entitled to anything. Instead of being people who seem to act as though they are due something from God, we seem to have just left God out of the picture altogether (as to not offend Him, I’m sure), and simply act as though other people owe us something.

I am not a preacher of the poverty gospel that says we cannot have anything of value and stresses that we must ascribe ourselves to some vow of scarcity. On a second glance, though: why not? Why, if there are so many Christians, are their so many homeless people? Why, if America’s Evangelical Christian community grosses $16.5 Billion a year in income, are their so many hungry people? Why in the world, when there is someone close by in need, do I need a new computer? Really, all I have is wants. I have all I need. If this is the case, then why, if I am a Christian, do I have lost neighbors? Because I also have all they need in my precious Savior.

Why is it that we deserve nothing but feel entitled to it all: bigger and better; yet have the Savior of the world and give nothing of possession or of ourselves away?

If we are who we say we are – believers – surely we do not think we honor God when we have any sense of entitlement. If our faith is real, it becomes aggressive because of this massive outpouring of love we have for God. Aggressive love for God will produce an aggressive faith in God, which produces aggressive actions. Actions alone do not honor God. God honors those who honor him. Which means it is our response to God that determines His response to us.

If we are who we say we are, then where are we? What is our response to God who has given us all that we have? What is out response to God who has given us Salvation?

God is entitled to bigger and better. I am merely given the privilege, despite my broken life of dirty rags, to lift my hands to Him and sing His praise.