Our girls work part time at a local Christian theater. This theater does fantastic, major productions. The girls jobs are in concessions. They were warned that the closer it got to Christmas the crankier the patrons would be. It has turned out to be true.
I find this to be incredibly sad. Are people so stressed that even while they are at a beautiful theater, seeing a wonderful production of the story of Jesus' birth, they have to behave in a cranky way? Or is it that we as Americans have come to assume we are entitled to special treatment? That hot dog from the oven warmer must be better than the one hot off the grill, because the packaging is warmer! Not even thinking about the fact that the ones hot off the grill are the freshest ones!
I have been pondering these things in my heart this season. I think that we have moved to an entitlement mindset. We deserve the best even if we can't afford it - our kids should get a trophy even if they weren't a winner....Is this why we go into debt to buy gifts for Christmas? Because we are entitled to that new iTouch or game system or camera?
I was listening to the radio yesterday and I heard the person say that they now see this entitlement attitude when people become believers. Instead of coming to Christ and being thankful and seeing how they can serve the Lord, they are looking for what the Lord can do for them. Because now that they are believers they should have wealth, health, no troubles or problems.
I have found that I need to check my own heart. What do I have expectations about? What do I feel entitled to?
I want to truly grasp that everything I have belongs to the Lord, including my finances and my rights. I want to pass this along to my children.
During this Christmas season especially, I choose to opt out of the crowded mall, the crazy parking lots, grumpy attitudes, the idea that I or my family are entitled to more stuff than we can afford or even have room for in our home!
I choose to sit back, relax, shop online, pick up a few things here and there as I am out on my regular errands. I choose to make or buy things with meaning for the one I am giving a gift to. I choose to focus on celebrating Jesus' coming.
I have been thankful to see that so many of my online friends are doing the same. Who wants to join us?
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10 comments:
I agree with you. People have lost their focus.It is very easy to do,I know from my own experience. We as Christians are to be set apart,I pretty much can tell when this attitude steps in, I need to stop it promptly.I have so much to be thankful for. It is all about Jesus, none of it is about me.I have had such peace this year, I am so much enjoying using what I have to decorate our little cottage home,just baked my orange cinnamon garland last evening.Hubby and I will hang it tonight.Making hand made gifts for sisters, and daughters.Some store bought gifts sprinkled in.We must decrease, and Jesus must increase. Blessings to you this Season, and thank you for this reminder.I pray that your daughters are able to stand strong working amongst some unthankful people.
Great, great word, Mrs. R! Make me think of Phil. 2 -- one translation says that Jesus "emptied himself" -- You start thinking about the King of Glory not thinking Himself entitled, HE who deserves it ALL!, and you understand that we assume WAY too much in the way of "I want's" and "I need's", especially in this season when He who was so very rich became very poor for us (I Cor. 8!) Thanking the Lord for His grace!!
Blessings,
Mary Lou
Great, great word, Mrs. R! Make me think of Phil. 2 -- one translation says that Jesus "emptied himself" -- You start thinking about the King of Glory not thinking Himself entitled, HE who deserves it ALL!, and you understand that we assume WAY too much in the way of "I want's" and "I need's", especially in this season when He who was so very rich became very poor for us (I Cor. 8!) Thanking the Lord for His grace!!
Blessings,
Mary Lou
With all of the talk about the Moms trip to Peru that is happening around here my thinking is whipping into a new perspective. If I lived in a town where there was just one spigot for the entire town and where my children froze to death from the cold I would look at people who live like me and consider them extremely wealthy. I would be grateful for a warm meal and a bath. I would be delighted with a blanket. We have no reason to be "entitled"...we have every reason to be humbled and grateful.
Unfortunately for most of us, we do not see the other side as often as we should to help them and to set our attitudes straight.
We have decided this year that there won't be tons of little presents that no one needs. We have chosen one main item for each person that is useful or needed.
Becky K.
(Raising hand and waving) Me! I so agree with the fact that people feel entitled. So much so, that I had a friend tell me that it was a right of passage for children to have braces these days and that even if my children's teeth were near perfect, they were entitled to a beautiful smile. That, in fact, it would be a major disservice for us to "deny" them that right. They would be looked down upon, etc.
What does this mean? That if we don't wear the latest fashions, have the newest gaming systems, etc., that we won't fit in? Fine. I don't want to be like everyone else, anyway.
I'm sure that your sweet girls are a light to the patrons, and can make a difference, even if just in a small way.
I am right there with ya. It is a sad, sad world we live in. I am thankful to know the Lord Jesus and to rest in His care. Through the house project this year and having to get rid of so many things that just cluttered the house that we really had no use for, I can really be content with little instead of much. I don't want all that clutter again. Who needs it?!
Merry Christmas!
What a beautiful, thought provoking post Mrs. Rabe! I so agree and join you in this sentiment. I see so my children who have been taught that they have a "right" to everything, grades, a spot on the team, the latest toy....when I was growing up, every game had a winner and a loser and being either one taught a lesson in life. Thank you for your wonderful post!
Pretty much this generation is known as the Entitled Generation. All they know is instant gratification also! Yes they want what we have yet we struggled to get where we are. It is a growing process. Key is process and growth! Not, "NOW!"
I have to check my own heart too. What a wonderful post you've written here!
Blessings,
Marcia
You've written exactly my thoughts the last few weeks. I'm so grateful to be at home and throughly able to enjoy the past weeks without too much of the hustle and bustle that the rest of the world deems necessary!
Gina
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