Entitled or grateful?

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Published on Wednesday, October 1, 2014

By Rev. Glenna Beauchamp

      Rivers and Oak River United Churches

We hear a lot today about people who have a sense of entitlement. When applied to those in public office, it means those who believes their position in society puts them beyond the rules and laws that apply to everyone else. While politicians get most of the blame for acting entitled, they are really reflecting general attitudes among all of us. 

We believe we’re entitled to everything from a high-starting salary to a government grant or strong self-esteem. Feeling entitled sets us up for disappointment because we rarely get everything to which we believe we are entitled. And life becomes a constant battle to get what should be ours, by right. Even worse though, there isn’t room in our hearts to feel both entitled and grateful at the same time.

Gratitude is an awareness of all the grace in our lives — the many things we don’t deserve but come to us as gifts. There are the big things like the love of our family, loyalty of friends, our freedom, the opportunities we enjoy as Canadians, God’s amazing grace and unconditional love. And there are the little things, like seeing a rainbow, having a stranger help you when you’ve left your wallet somewhere, getting an email or call from an old friend. 

People who are grateful as usually happy. People who feel entitled are not.