The Land of Entitlement

Here in the United States we seem to think we live in the Land of Entitlement. The dictionary defines the word entitle as follows: “to give (a person or thing) a title, right, or claim to something; furnish with grounds for laying claim.”

In this country many have come to believe that they are entitled to all the blessings they currently enjoy and more. The U.S. Constitution does grant the citizens of this country the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and prevents the government from infringing on that right, but many take that right to the extreme. People think they are entitled to a job, health care, a pay check even if they can’t work, a roof over their heads (and a really nice one, too), a fancy car — I could go on and on, but I won’t.

Suffice it to say, I don’t think we are really entitled to any of those things. We came into this world with nothing and we when we leave it we can’t take anything with us. In the interim, we are blessed by our Creator that He should loan some of His stuff to us. We are blessed that He gives us time and relationships. All that we “have” really isn’t ours and we have no grounds for laying claim to any of it.

When it comes to the afterlife, people think they are entitled, too. Everyone thinks they should have a right to go to heaven. How could God possibly exclude anyone just because of what they believe? That’s not fair!

But we have no such right, no such entitlement. God created heaven just as He created the earth and everything in it. It all belongs to Him. It wouldn’t even exist if not for His majesty and creative powers. He is the only one entitled to decide who gets to spend eternity with Him.

Thankfully, He has decided that anyone who humbly accepts and follows His Son Jesus can enjoy the blessings of heaven. We aren’t entitled, but He has blessed us nonetheless.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:16-18 (NIV).