Whether it be a two year old screaming, "mine!" or a teenager stating, "it's just not fair." The endless pursuit of happiness. It is the thing that tears apart friendships. The thing that breaks up marriages. The thing that causes separations between any once loving and affectionate relationship.
This thing... ENTITLEMENT.
When I set Jesus aside and begin to think about all the things that should be given to me, it is then that all of my relationships go awry. When we feel like we are owed something more than the cards we've been dealt, we tend to throw humility out of the window. It even dates back to the very first sinful act. In the garden, Satan so easily convinced Eve that God owed her more and was holding out on her and if she would just eat the fruit...
How easily we forget that God has given us much more than we ever deserved, more than we could ever earn. And He continues to bless us out of this great love that He has for us, even when we are at our worst. Sometimes those blessings come through discipline (goodness knows I've been there more times than I can count) and we respond like children, throwing ourselves to the ground, kicking, screaming and gnashing our teeth. And it's all because we believe we deserve more than this. We are not as bad as ... We've done so much ... Do you know who I am ... Look at my accomplishments ...
God is humbling me to the floor in this stage of life. Apparently, showing grace doesn't come easy to me. To those I love or to those I don't understand. But He is good and faithful to teach me this lesson and maybe one day it will sink in.
Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
