I think that with many of the ills in our society it is Satan’s plan to push an agenda contrary to what God wants for His people. In the case of entitlement the ideal that is being pushed is in direct correlation to God’s ideal of service and hard work. Even in the garden Adam had to work and when Eve and he were kicked out of the garden the natural consequence of the fall was that work became harder. That Adam would now have to struggle to make the land produce because there would be obstacles. I think that weeds and soil drained of its nutrients were not an issue in the garden. They were after the fall, and when obstacles were introduced another byproduct of the fall occurred. That byproduct was laziness.

I don’t think that Adam and Eve had to struggle with being lazy in the garden. I think that they were supernaturally energized by God’s presence and Spirit and they were motivated to do what needed to be done. I think that they might have struggled with laziness after the fall, but they couldn’t succumb to it because survival was at stake. Fast forward to today when society pushes the agenda of entitlement and it feeds right into human laziness. It is natural for someone to want things for free and want to not have to work. It’s part of our sin nature. It takes a teaching that hard work and service are important parts of life and the supernatural interjection of God’s Spirit to fuel the desire to want to work and serve.

Entitlement teaches that I deserve to have what everybody else has even if I haven’t worked for it. It states that I am here to be served, not to serve. Envy and covetousness also play into this desire. When entitlement kicks in it destroys motivation. It feels right to people because it supports our laziness which also feels right. But, it isn’t right. It is very wrong and destroys productivity and it keeps us from being used by the living God to accomplish great things in this world. It keeps us from accomplishing basic acts of survival. Entitlement is present and in the moment thinking and it totally excludes any forward thinking. If i can get through today without putting forth much effort then it is a good day. Service and hard work are future oriented endeavors. They see the benefit of building into the future with delay of gratification for an ultimate higher achievement.

Entitlement teaches that I am here to be served and that the more that I can get other people to do for me the better off that I am. It destroys pride in being alive and sustaining that life to its full potential. God not only wants us to serve our own needs, but to serve those that are unable to serve themselves. Entitlement teaches that I will not only get mine, but if at all possible I will get somebody else’s also. Entitlement is the exact opposite of what God thinks. What if Jesus had felt entitled, and of all people ever he had the right to be, and decided to not leave the confines of heaven and come to serve and ultimately die in that service. Service and hard work supernaturally sustained and maintained are God’s ideals for life.