Entitled - Martin Wiles

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT

I placed my keys on the conveyor belt, the store discount card attached, and waited.

Having read the research on one trait of the younger generation, I carefully watch my encounters with them to see if they will fit the norm or be an exception. It appeared this young man would fit the norm.

As he finished with the customer in front of me, I noticed he didn’t say, “Thank you,” or “Have a good day and come again.” Just handed her the change and started with me. But the way he started with me was amusing. Instead of picking up my keys and scanning the discount card, he took his hand scanner and moved the keys around with it until he could see the bar code he needed to scan. Then, he began scanning my items without handing me my keys. I picked them up and continued watching.

As with the customer in front of me, I received no greeting or smile. In fact, he never looked at me. When he finished, he announced the total, I paid him, he gave me my change and started with the next customer. No greeting, no goodbye, no thank you.

The trait of entitlement seeped through. He thought I was privileged to have him wait on me, rather than viewing his job as a privilege and me as one of the customers responsible for his job. So I smiled, said thank you, and went on my merry way.

Entitlement. The belief that things are owed to us, that we deserve them. Where God’s forgiveness and salvation are concerned, Paul dispels this false notion in five short sentences. Grace—God’s undeserved favor—is the reason for my salvation. I didn’t do anything to deserve it, nor could I. That being said, no one has any reason to boast about their relationship with God, or that they deserve His blessings.

Hopefully, young folks plagued by the entitlement mindset will grow out of it before they become the majority in the workforce. If not, we’ll rarely hear kind remarks, and selfishness will rule. Of course, when we think we deserve whatever we have, the plague can spread to people of any age.

The Bible, however, promotes a different attitude: humility. A recognition that all I am and have—opportunities, talents, gifts—come from God. I don’t deserve them; having them is a privilege. When we have that attitude, we’ll serve others joyfully as Jesus did.

Don’t let an attitude of entitlement ruin your life—and the lives of others you impact.

Prayer: Father, helps us see when are nothing without You but can do all things with You.

Tweetable: Do you feel as if you are entitled? 

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