What We Deserve

The feeling of entitlement is prevalent in our society. McDonald's built a major campaign based on the notion that we "deserve a break today." And many times we give ourselves that break. We make excuses for our actions by telling ourselves that we "deserve" it.

"I had a hard day at work, so I deserve to eat a hot fudge sundae/go shoe shopping/spend hours on my Playstation/fill in the blank..."

Or maybe we excuse our inaction: "I had to stay up late last night, so I'm sleeping in and skipping Sunday school. I deserve a full night's sleep."

Many times we treat other people in the way that we feel they deserve: "She's always short with me, so I'm not going to go out of my way to be polite. She deserves to have a taste of her own medicine." Or we treat them a certain way because we feel they we deserve to be treated better: "He doesn't call me when he says he's going to. I deserve better than that."

Sometimes people who feel they aren't getting the treatment they "deserve" choose to end the relationship or friendship. If their mate or friend isn't living up to their standard of how they want to be treated, they take it as a sign to get out of Dodge and find someone who will treat them how they "deserve".

We even plead our case before God, trying to convince Him to give us what we think we deserve (which is always something BETTER--a better job, a better spouse, better friends, better finances, etc.).

But who are we to judge who deserves what kind of treatment? The truth is, if we were treated by God the way we truly deserved, we would have absolutely no hope.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:8-10)

Not only is God so merciful in withholding the punishment that we so richly deserve, but He also graciously gives us far more than we could ask or imagine. I certainly did not deserve to be born to Christian parents, raised in a loving Christian home, in a nation where we are allowed to worship God openly. I do not deserve to have all the luxuries that I have, nor do I deserve the great friendships and relationships I've experienced throughout my life.

Instead of focusing on the treatment or tangible things that we feel that we "deserve", spend time today rejoicing in God's mercy and grace in your life. Then commit to treat others around you far better than THEY deserve--and watch God's grace continue to flow in and through your life in new ways.