I’m not sure how well I fit in nowadays either. I am constantly frustrated by the attitudes of those that I interact with. It seems as though everyone thinks they have a right to get their way no matter how much it inconveniences others. It’s like we have all been spoiled and now we expect to have success, happiness, and immediate gratification handed to us on a silver platter. It’s like we have entered an Age of Entitlement.
I believe a large part of it comes from the “everyone gets a trophy” philosophy our society has taken on. We are taught that we deserve as much as anyone else even if we don’t work as hard, possess the proper skills, or even care as much. We are told that we deserve happiness and success no matter what. Society has set us up to believe that we are all equally great.
Now is the part when you expect me to say that you only deserve what you work for, or as much as your talent and natural ability allows. Most people say that rewards should only be given to those that stand out as being more qualified than others. They would say that this country is falling apart because we have too many trophies and too few people willing to work hard to get what they deserve.
However, I am here to tell you that you deserve nothing. Should you work hard? Absolutely, so that God’s work may be done. Should you utilize your talents? Sure, for His glory. Should you take advantage of opportunities that come your way? If you feel led to do so, go right ahead so that you may have the opportunity to tell more and more people about His love.
But nothing that we do, no matter how hard we work or how ambitious we are, is deserving of any type of reward. We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. We all deserve death and to be separated from God forever. That is ALL that we deserve.
So the next time you feel entitled or get frustrated because things did not go your way, bow your head and pray for humility. We are all blessed beyond belief by just having the opportunity to have a relationship with God. And the more this world tells us we deserve this or we deserve that, the more tempting it is to make our lives about us. But just as Christ showed us, that is not the case.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.N)"> And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by coming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8 NIV)