Entitled: The Everybody Gets a Trophy Culture

Entitlement. Such a big issue in today’s culture. Kids today (I can’t believe I’m old enough to use that phrase!) harbor a strong sense of entitlement. Everybody gets a trophy. We are all equally successful. Toddler utopia. However good the intentions of this philosophy, it’s simply not true in the real world. Entitled.

Entitlement is not part of God’s truth either. God doesn’t call us to be grandiose, larger than life, always successful. With God the weak are strong. The meek inherit the earth. He is made perfect in our imperfections.

Are we all entitled?

And yet, that’s what’s so hard. However entitled our youth may feel, all of us feel that way. The world owes us what is due. We deserve respect. What’s ours is ours. This lane is mine. We stand on our islands, arms crossed in defiance, declaring our spot in the world.

I’m like this. Unfortunately. I read my Bible and I understand the teaching, and then I will catch myself inadvertently standing on my island demanding to be heard (maybe not quite so inadvertently all of the time).

However, I keep reading my Bible and praying because I’ve seen change transpire. I’ve noticed that there are situations where I’m on my “entitled” island less and less.

You see, the more I help other people, the less I seem to be able to find my island. The more I create, the less time I seek to be on the island. The more I fellowship, the less I notice that the island is available to me.

Overcoming Entitlement

Why is that? Well, I have a theory. (Of course, I always have a theory. At some point I hope my theories will be part of my purpose from God, but right now they are just keeping me busy in this coffee shop.)

Maybe, just maybe, we are not meant to be ENTITLED but we are supposed to be SUBTITLED.

Hear me out.

Have you ever watched a foreign movie? The words in the translated language appear typed at the bottom of the screen. So your eyes watch the big picture up top and read the little words underneath.

What if we are meant to be the little words underneath? The words underneath God’s big picture above us?

You see, maybe it’s not that we are due what is owed but rather we express gratitude for what has been paid on our behalf. Maybe it’s not that we deserve respect but that through humility, we cultivate respect.  Or maybe what’s ours is ours to give.

As the beauty of God plays itself out in this amazing, intricate world, a focus on being the subtitles to God’s story instead of being entitled to our own ought be part of our purpose.

Just a thought…

Peace and courage,

K.

Author of Ten Iron Principles, Contributor in The Power to Make a Difference