Entitlement

One of the things that bothers me about this world is the sense of entitlement so many people seem to have.

People who feel that the speed limits do not apply to them and they are entitled to drive as fast as they want.

People who are horribly immoral because they feel it's their right to love whomever, whenever and however they choose.

People who think the world owes them a living.

People who will do whatever they want whenever they want because they insist it's their right to have it.

The list goes on.

It all started this week when I decided to take my boy camping. We showed up and got a very good spot right on the lake. On the first day we splashed around in the water and had loads of fun. The second day was the same...until the entitled people started showing up.

The guy next to us apparently felt it was his right to correct his many dogs by grabbing them by the ears and jerking them around. The guy who showed up around noon with his jet skis apparently thought it was his right to park his stuff right in the beach spot where we had been for the last 24 hours. The kids who seem to feel it's their right to curse up a storm no matter who's listening.

Then there's the pièce de résistance, the couple.

They were obviously full of themselves, both of them bronzed to the shade of molasses, neither of them modestly dressed. To call their attire "bathing suits" would be generous. They walked right out into the spot where my son was playing, stood in the water and proceeded to paw each other. And kiss. And paw some more.

After several minutes of this, they apparently decided that their skin wasn't baked enough, because they went up on the beach and exposed even more of themselves for over an hour.

Was there anything that could be done? According to the park ranger, Nope. Neither of them was "naked" by a legal definition, but I think even Victoria has more secrets than these people that day.

And why do people do such selfish, self-centered things? They feel they're entitled to it.

In fact, the only thing we are entitled to is death and punishment. Our sin and the sin in the world before us has brought curse upon this earth and this people and if all were "fair" we'd all be separated from God for all eternity.

Thank the Lord there is Grace. God's Grace keeps us from what we deserve, and there but for the Grace of God we go.

While unsaved people selfishly assert their "rights" by doing what they please, those saved by Grace humbly and gratefully accept the gift.

Examine who you are and how you react when things are "unfair"or you feel your "rights" have been affronted. Remember that the Lord's people are not of this world, we are a light on a lampstand, a city on a hill. We should have no entitlement issues.