Clay in the Hands

This past Sunday, we started a month long emphasis on living generously.  As part of the introduction, I spent some time talking about a disease that is killing us.  This disease is particularly debilitating because it works behind the scenes mostly undetected.  

The disease is entitlement.  

In our culture, we have been tricked into believing that we are due a good life.  Regardless of how hard we work or how little we work, our attitude is that we deserve status or wealth or happiness.

The reason this disease is so debilitating is that it is birthed out of our selfishness and grows to feed that very selfishness.  Unchecked, it will kill any sense of gratitude we might otherwise feel.

Here is the truth from scripture:

1.  All of us are unworthy – all have fallen short of God’s ideal for us

2.  All good things come from God, by God’s grace and not because of anything we do

3.  We can’t earn God’s favor – God gives it freely

We need to stop this holiday season and think about these truths.  We are truly blessed but not because we deserve any of it.  We are blessed because God blesses us.

That should move us to gratitude.