Rights or privileges
As a Christian, do I have rights?
I've been pondering this because of all the grievances filed with the union at work. It seems so wrong to me that people constantly go around looking for things that violate their "rights." If you just look at somebody in a way they perceive as hostile, they file a grievance on you for creating a hostile work environment. Yes, this did happen, but fortunately, not to me—yet! Though I did have a grievance filed against me and another supervisor because we didn't "respect" a person. I'm still bewildered by that one because I don't recall even having feelings of disrespect toward the person, much less speaking disrespectfully. Granted, that incident made me lose all respect for the person, but I think I'm pretty good at faking it.
In the same line of reasoning, consider all the suing that goes on in this country. What ever happened to living a life where you acknowledge your mistakes, ask forgiveness for them, give and receive forgiveness, and go on? A mistake is no longer a mistake; it's a violation, and you must be prepared to pay for it—monetarily is preferred.
I don't think I have "rights" from a Christian perspective; I have privileges, and privileges can be taken away. If I have a "right" to something, it implies that I have earned it. What did I do to deserve the life I live? What makes me so much better than those victims of torture or genocide? Could God not just as easily have placed me in harsh circumstances? Especially in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for me, I am only an instrument to be used in His service to help other people. Why is it so hard to forget that? Is ease and prosperity so pervasive in American society that I begin to think I deserve things even when I haven’t earned them?
Furthermore, I believe that at the heart of the matter is a lack of thankfulness. If I see the good things in life as privileges rather than as rights, I will be thankful for them. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:15-17, NIV). An unthankful person won’t experience peace—only discontentment.
Lord, save me from this cancerous attitude that pervades our society.
I've been pondering this because of all the grievances filed with the union at work. It seems so wrong to me that people constantly go around looking for things that violate their "rights." If you just look at somebody in a way they perceive as hostile, they file a grievance on you for creating a hostile work environment. Yes, this did happen, but fortunately, not to me—yet! Though I did have a grievance filed against me and another supervisor because we didn't "respect" a person. I'm still bewildered by that one because I don't recall even having feelings of disrespect toward the person, much less speaking disrespectfully. Granted, that incident made me lose all respect for the person, but I think I'm pretty good at faking it.
In the same line of reasoning, consider all the suing that goes on in this country. What ever happened to living a life where you acknowledge your mistakes, ask forgiveness for them, give and receive forgiveness, and go on? A mistake is no longer a mistake; it's a violation, and you must be prepared to pay for it—monetarily is preferred.
I don't think I have "rights" from a Christian perspective; I have privileges, and privileges can be taken away. If I have a "right" to something, it implies that I have earned it. What did I do to deserve the life I live? What makes me so much better than those victims of torture or genocide? Could God not just as easily have placed me in harsh circumstances? Especially in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for me, I am only an instrument to be used in His service to help other people. Why is it so hard to forget that? Is ease and prosperity so pervasive in American society that I begin to think I deserve things even when I haven’t earned them?
Furthermore, I believe that at the heart of the matter is a lack of thankfulness. If I see the good things in life as privileges rather than as rights, I will be thankful for them. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:15-17, NIV). An unthankful person won’t experience peace—only discontentment.
Lord, save me from this cancerous attitude that pervades our society.
posted by Sara | 12:21 PM
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