Entitled to be Grateful
It’s no secret that America is the land of entitlement. In our brief history, we have decided that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is more than just faded words on yellowing paper – they are our God-given rights.
I would disagree. Let me spend a few Thanksgiving Eve moments busting our collective bubble…
- We believe we’re entitled to free healthcare. What we have earned is a laundry list of diseases brought on by unhealthy lifestyles.
- We think we’re entitled to a nice house and manicured yard. What we have created is a debt-ridden society that can’t say the word “no.”
- We assume we’re entitled to kids who are well-behaved and don’t give us any trouble. What we have ignored are the thousands of couples who can’t conceive.
- We say we’re entitled to a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. What we have forgotten is that our one table will contain more food than is seen in a month in some third-world homes.
- We scream that we’re entitled to a life that is fair and free of pain. What we have overlooked is that much of our pain and perceived unfairness is a result of our own poor choices and outright rebellion.
Kinda makes you all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn’t it?
Here’s reality: we deserve nothing good. The gospel is a song with one line: we were given what we could never earn. Our forgiveness, our salvation, our peace, our justification…none of it is what we’re entitled to. But God gave it to us freely through Jesus.
Digging further, all the good things in our lives are bonus points. Friends, family, food, stuff…it’s all just a good gift from a God who loves us. We should be grateful for it, but we should never assume we’re entitled to it.
So tomorrow as you sit down to the dead bird, recognize the things in your life that you’re positive you’re entitled to…and instead choose to be grateful.
Boom. Excellent.
Well said, sir. Well said.