Sense of Entitlement

We live in a world with so many carrying around a sense of entitlement. Many people believe
either as if they are special or should be accorded special treatment. John Townsend notes that,
Entitlement is: The man who thinks he is above all the rules. The woman who feels mistreated
and needs others to make it up to her. Similarly, Jeanne Phillips holds that, People who take
more than their share usually feel an inflated sense of entitlement. The consequence of having
the sense of entitlement is the feeling that you are better than others hence you become an
object of special privileges. So, when you are Christian and you think you are more important
than none Christians, do not forget God can use any person. Clericalism is a dominant feature
in the Africa church. How often do find the religious looking down on the laity simply because
of their status in the church. We need to question ourselves, what is that we have which we
have not been given? We read in1 Corinthians 1:28-29 that, that, God chose the lowly things
of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that
are, so that no one may boast before him. Jessica Parker notes that, Entitlement is just the
grossest kind of human behavior. It means human beings forget that they are stewards. Randy
Alcorn holds that, If God was the owner, I was the manager. I needed to adopt a steward's
mentality toward the assets He had entrusted - not given - to me. A steward manages assets for
the owner's benefit. The steward carries no sense of entitlement to the assets he manages. It's
his job to find out what the owner wants done with his assets, then carry out his will. We are
dependent on the divine favour. The psalmist declares therefore that, the law of the Lord is
unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.
The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true,
justified in themselves. For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great
reward. Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: Humanity is totally
dependent on the divine grace for their righteous deeds. Grace does not give us a sense of
entitlement. It imposes on us a sense of responsibility. When we have done our best, we have
to remember we are just mere servants. Criss Jami reminds us that, Man is not, by nature,
deserving of all that he wants. When we think that we are automatically entitled to something,
that is when we start walking all over others to get it.
The first reading from Num 11:25-29 those close to Moses view the gift of prophecy as an
entitlement to Moses. Any form of divine calling is a privilege for the service of humanity. Kirk
Cousins observes that, I've been taught that human nature is such that the place of privilege
most often and most naturally leads to a sense of entitlement. The notion that I deserve to be
treated as special because I'm privileged. The truth is, privilege should never lead to
entitlement. The response of Moses is critical I wish all of you were prophets. We are all
potential candidates for the divine gifts hence none is special over the other. In the community
of the people of God, we can only become first among equals. Power best serves our needs
when it is decentralised.

The gospel reading from Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 tells that we do not do God any favour
through the sense of entitlement. John expected praise from the master but received the
contrary. This gospel destroys the sense of exclusivism. It makes all of us partakers in the
divine gifts provided we become available and remain faithful. The gospel creates no
distinction between insiders and outsiders. Service to people and subsequently to God is never
a preserve of particular individuals. Saint Augustine states that, by faithfulness we are collected
and wound up into unity within ourselves, whereas we had been scattered abroad in
multiplicity. We read in Phil 1:18 that, but what does it matter? The important thing is that in
every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
In our service of God, the centre must remain God. God is the reference point and we are his
instruments that he uses as He choses.
The second reading from James 5:1-6 condemns those blinded by the sense of entitlement.
Sarah Churchwell notes that, People who are given whatever they want soon develop a sense
of entitlement and rapidly lose their sense of proportion. They end up becoming the law unto
itself. Everyone else therefore lives by their favour. The consequence is that they can deprive
other people of their rights for the seek of their own entertainment. In Africa we are besieged
with diseases such as corruption, impunity among other because of this sense of entitlement.
We live in a world where one openly wrongs one and even before you complain the person
asks you what will you do Afterall. Steve Maraboli observes that, A sense of entitlement is a
cancerous thought process that is void of gratitude and can be deadly to our relationships. The
medicine to this cancer of entitlement is the feeling of gratitude. We need to daily remind
ourselves that all that we are and have are gifts. Subsequently, Randy Alcorn urges that, Teach
your children gratefulness. Do all you can to deliver them from our culture’s poisonous
entitlement mentality.

(Reflection on 26th Sunday B, by Owinyo Adoyo, Lecturer in Biblical Studies,