Recently I was on greyhound to visit my friend in Monroe! On the way home I had the same bus driver and his son riding along. The son is about 15ish. We were on our last stop of the day, and the Driver Dad and son were funning with each other. They were laughing and joking with one another. In the middle of all of this a passenger got on the bus. There wasn’t room for the three of them without someone moving. The driver dad says to the passenger, “Just push him aside!” All in fun of course. The son came back with, “I don’t deserve this.”
I kept thinking of this statement. We live in an age of Entitlement. I know what entitlement means but I looked it up anyway. The definition of Entitlement: a person has a self-absorbed view of the world and lacks any care or empathy for others.
What are we entitled too? Some say we are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is a phrase in the Declaration of Independence. It is a phrase that gives us unalienable rights which have been given to all humans by their Creator. The world looks at this right a whole lot different than Christians do! What does the Bible say? Freedom, equality, and dignity are all given to us. In Galatians the Apostle Paul reminds us that these rights are not earned but divinely given by God the Father. Paul’s understanding of freedom is different. God’s freedom that is given to each one of us, is the freedom to love and serve.
13 You my brothers and sisters were called to be free. And then, serve one another in love. Message says it this way: It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Galatians 5:13
The best is in vs 16: So Paul is saying walk in the Spirit. Since we live by the Spirit, let us step with the Spirit. What are the fruits of the Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We can’t practice these fruits of the Spirit without God’s help. Our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are God-given, not government given. I am amazed how simple this is!
God Bless,
Pastor Wanda