A shopping mall built a few kilometres from our house has these words emblazoned in three foot letters above the entrance:

“You’re worth the trip.”

Think about that. It doesn’t say, “Come get your needs met.” They aren’t even claiming to meet needs. They’re claiming to serve up a generous dose of wants. This particular mall, a brand new wonder, dominates little town a little ways out of Calgary. And they come right out and say what we want to hear: You deserve to be here. You’ve worked hard. It’s your money. You’re worth whatever you decide to spend on yourself.”

In other words, the mall has staked its entire financial plan on its customer’s sense of entitlement.

Entitlement is the predictable attitude of pride. It builds the logical bridge between us and indulgence. And it’s not just about shopping. It’s about the candy bar stash I keep under my bed (don’t tell my kids). It’s about me putting my feet up when there’s work to be done. It’s about putting myself first when God is calling me to serve. It’s the source of most of my complaining, self-pity, and discouragement.

The ugly truth is, I think I’m entitled to the best God and life has to offer, and I get in a huff when I don’t get it.

And it IS ugly. So important to see that.

Jesus is beautiful. “Who, being in very nature God, did not view equality with God as something to be grasped. He made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant.”

If anyone was ever entitled to anything, it was Jesus. And he refused to adopt that attitude, refused to indulge in it, refused to live it.

It’s time I killed that attitude in myself, walked with Jesus…

out of an entitled life.