Conflict, Entitlement and Me

This last Sunday when Pastor Perry was talking about conflict I couldn't help but be reminded of a recent article I read in Group Magazine (vol. 33, no.5) that dealt with Entitlement in today's youth. The article itself covered a lot of ground really quickly and was packed with a lot of great resources, but I want to address the role Entitlement plays in Conflict.

Really, one of the main problems with our culture today, is the fact that we are raising kids with an "Entitlement Mentality". Pastor Perry shared how the size of our homes have grown in the last 50 years by more than 100%, while the size of families has shrunken. Consider the fact America is the richest country in the history of the world with a GDP of more than 13.22 TRILLION dollars. I don't even know how many zeros a trillion is, but I imagine it's a lot! You'd think that with more money people today would be happier, but we all know this isn't so.

In fact multiple studies have come to the same conclusion in recent years. At $12,000 a year a person’s estimation of their satisfaction in life pretty much flat lines. That means that most people are happier at $12,000 a year than they were at $10,000. BUT the same or less people are still at the same level of satisfaction at $20,000 than at $12,000. Just like Biggie said, "Mo' money, Mo' problems".

If I make more money, somehow I feel entitled to more things. I can't explain this completely but I'm sure there is a Psychological explanation, for now let's call it Greed. America, today, feels entitled to so much more than the rest of the world's people. Do Maasai tribesmen of Western Africa feel entitled to own a car? Probably not. Do they feel they've earned a new iPod? I doubt it. So what is it about our society that drives our entitlement?

Quite simply I believe it's our desire to avoid hardships. The low times make the highs all that much higher. Example 1: with the youth we participate in the 30 Hour Famine, for 30 hours we go without food. This hardship brings a greater appreciation for the things we do have. Therefore the student’s sense of Entitlement is lessened.

What's all this have to do with conflict? Why do we struggle against one another? Why do we bicker and fight amongst ourselves over things such as parking spaces or musical styles (especially worship music)? Why am I constantly coveting my neighbor's possessions? Is it because I'm entitled to those things? No, it's because I think I am.

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Jesus. (Matthew 6:28-34)

So, what are we really entitled to?