At times I've heard people talk about someone who has an "entitlement mentality". Typically, they are referring to a person who expects governmental services such as food 'stamps' or other subsidies; someone who has grown up in the welfare system.
Yet, given trends in marketing over the past 20 to 30 years, it seems that an entitlement mentality has been encouraged in all Americans. This trend might not promote government programs, but it does invite ongoing, immediate gratification at any cost. 'Just do it.' 'You owe it to yourself.' 'I want it all, and I want it now.' We have gotten so used to this attitude over time that we often don't realize that, subtly, we have come to expect such gratification as a right. We even believe (haven't we been told?) that we deserve it.
Sadly, most Christians in the United States share this tendency with other Americans. Sure, we try to live by biblical values, like avoiding theft, murder and sexual immorality, but when it comes to material consumption, are we really any different than anyone else?
Now, before I come across as sanctimonious, let me readily admit that I also struggle with feeling like I deserve a nice (I use the word "dependable") car, a climate-controlled, comfortable (all right, beautiful) home, fashionable clothing, and on and on. Now that my son has a flat-screen tv, mine seems too small. If I let myself, I can fixate on stuff. Not eternal stuff, but worldly, material stuff that, if I'm honest, I often believe I deserve.
I really like the way The Message version of the bible translates 1 John 2:15-17: "Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity."
I'm pretty sure that freedom from wanting is a process which, in most cases (definitely mine) will take a lifetime to complete. But when I acknowledge that everything I have is God's - and allow him to direct where and how it is used - I move a little farther along in the process. Thrift can be a tool I use in that process to deliberately control the importance I place on material stuff. By putting some restraints on my spending for material goods, I can make more available for kingdom purposes.
I pray that you, and I, and the rest of the church which calls Jesus "Lord", will allow the Father to change our hearts as we submit our finances, and our desires, to him.
-- Susan Rodebush © 2009
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