On a recent flight, while sitting on a bulkhead row, next to my exceedingly tall husband, we watched another very large man cause a ruckus as he spotted his seat assignment. This big angry man also was assigned a bulkhead seat and to his dismay and ours, the bulkhead seats on this plane were considerably smaller and more cramped. He made it very clear to the flight attendant and everyone else within earshot that he would not sit in his assigned seat. He insisted that there was no way he could be comfortable sitting there and that he was entitled to more space than seat 7b offered. It really was pretty cramped and I felt sorry him and for Pat. Anyone who has traveled much recently appreciates how frustrating and uncomfortable flying can be. We are so accustomed to being comfortable that being forced into small spaces with strangers is a shock to our privileged lifestyle…. Merica :/
When I was a young mom with young kids, I remember being really convicted by a Sunday school lesson on “entitlement”. I knew I was susceptible to being a parent who could harm her kids by overindulging them. I became purposeful about saying “No” to their every whim and adding balance to their lives with responsibilities. I am offended by entitlement and therefore, I was really humbled this week when I discovered that I have been behaving like an entitled child. I put entitlement into a safe little box defined by the craving of possessions and pretty things. It was tangible things that I was withholding from my kids to spare them from being entitled, and so it made sense that it was the lack of need for the tangible that freed me from being an entitled person.
I have been shortsighted in my understanding. Like so many people, I make every effort to be comfortable. Like my large and angry travel companion, I find it unacceptable when my comfort is compromised. I get confused, hurt and angry when someone doesn’t like me or hurts my feelings. I have acted like it is an injustice when I am maligned or wounded. My countenance sours when my schedule gets interrupted. Where on earth did this egotistical belief come from? How special do I think I am? The truth is, there are plenty of reasons not to like me and no reason that I should be shocked by rejection or interruption. We live in a sinful world; it is full of discomfort, rejection, obstacles and pain. It isn’t shocking, but it shocks our system, because it isn’t home. The discomfort we experience here reflects our longing for life with Christ where there will be no more sorrow, pain or rejection or interruption.
We are living entitled lives. The Declaration of Independence reminds that we are entitled to pursue life, liberty and happiness, and so we engage in a full court press as we do all we can to have the fullest life and the freedom to say and do all we want. We feel insulted when someone jeopardizes our happiness and we make a big stink about it.
We are entitled to pursue these inalienable rights, but when we stop making the pursuit of comfort and happiness our primary focus, we will find true peace and joy. Real joy comes when we put others needs ahead of our own. The most beautiful view looks out instead of in. The truth is, we are all strangers and aliens here and we will never be truly comfortable, free or happy until we see Jesus. Our worthiest pursuit is to follow Him.
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b (NKJV)
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Philippians 2:3 (NKJV)