Don’t Assume

Matthew 20:^13&15 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? …Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’”

Romans 12:¹⁹ “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.” Why do people take revenge? The only reason people take revenge is because they feel entitled. It is entitlement that gives birth to the ‘abuse me and I abuse you back’ mindset. Sadly, this is why these days children slap teachers because they feel entitled and because they know they will get away with it. They know that when daddy or mommy comes, that teacher will lose his or her job. Some children are even bold enough to say to their teachers, ‘When my dad comes, you are gone!’ In our days, when our parents show up, it is not the teachers but us that are finished.

Please read Matthew 20:1-16. I know it is a long read but it is so important that we get it in. Matthew 20:¹⁰ “When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.” (emphasis added). Why did they assume that they would receive more? It is because they felt entitled to more. I have seen this play out many times. Matthew 20:^11-12 “When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’” They assumed they would be paid more because they had been there the longest. Entitlement always feeds on the assumption that you deserve more.

John 3:^25-27 “A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.” (emphasis added). In other words, if you kick against the one that has received favour from God, you are kicking against God who has chosen to favour him. It is so important that you take these scriptures and wrestle with them.

1 Corinthians 4:⁷ “For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?” I am tired of seeing people who are doing well look down on other people and call them lazy. So, you think you are where you are because you are hardworking? Some of those people you are calling lazy work harder than you do. But they do not have the results that you have.

Prayer: Father, please purge me completely of entitlement, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen!