en·ti·tle·ment
/inˈtīdlmənt/
Noun
"Having a right to something or believing that one deserves to be
given something”
planoun en·ti·tle·ment \-ˈtī-təl-mənt “the condition of having a right to have, do, or get something; the feeling or belief that you deserve to be given something
No one looks the way I do
I have noticed that it’s true
No one walks the way I walk
No one talks the way I talk
No one plays the way I play
No one says the things I say
I am special
I am me
(nursery song sung by Gen Y children from 1978-1997)
It is said that today’s generation feels the greatest sense of entitlement ever. This may be in comparison to previous American generations who prided themselves on pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and telling each other “There’s no elevator to the top, just the stairs”, not to mention enduring shoe shortages and horrific blizzard conditions on that walk to school.
But if you come from France, entitlement is still alive and well and has been for centuries. It’s interesting to note that entitlement has the word “title” in it. And pre-revolutionary France was full of folks with important titles. From Duke to Marquis to Comte to Baron, anyone who was “someone” had a title. And as a result expected a high degree of special treatment and privileges in society as a member of the noblesse. Titles breed entitlement and entitlement needs titles.
France severed themselves, quite literally, from this social structure during the guillotine-crazed revolution. What emerged today is a strongly socialist form of government where the super rich are taxed at up to 75% to help pay for a social welfare system that takes care of citizens of the republic from cradle to grave. This has produced another kind of entitlement. People expect their government to take care of each and every one of their needs. 35 hour work weeks, six weeks of vacation a year and a pension at age 60 is the expectation of every person. Oh, and fresh bread baked daily with 365 varieties of cheese is also high on the list.
And there lies the irony. No, not that every leap year leaves you one cheese short. But the society that did away with an elite class of title-bearing narcissists never completely eradicated the spirit of entitlement. Which brings us to a current generation of American kids who are all about fairness and equality. And who seldom hear a no from moms and dads that want to be pals more than parents. Or lazy students who are given C’s by teachers afraid of holding them back lest they damage precious self-esteem. And let’s not forget how every player nowadays gets a trophy from the coach just for participating. Even birthday party invitees go home laden with a goodie bag, because God forbid they would have to watch the birthday person get something and they walk away empty handed.
We’ve created a culture where everything must be fair. No one is to be held in higher esteem than another. Hard work or talent cannot be allowed to cause those less diligent or less capable from feeling any twinge of inferiority. So our American brand of egalitarianism-on-steroids has actually engendered a high degree of entitlement, like France. We’ve produced little, and not-so-little, modern-day Dukes and Duchesses with every bit of expectation of something for nothing as any spoiled Renaissance-era Countess.
And this culture has found its way into leadership, both in the office chair and the church. Today’s generation of emerging leaders have inherited the maximum for the least amount of work than any other before them. The less one works for what they have, the more the intangible things of leadership, like respect and influence, are simply expected to come with a title like manager, coordinator, or pastor.
The great egalitarian experiment has failed because it produces new leaders who have neither the capacity for nor the knowledge of the kind of hard work that goes into earning the respect and influence necessary to lead successfully. I don’t have to bother to earn respect if my sense of fairness says I deserve as much as the next guy with the same degree or a similar position. It’s always so much easier have a title and then tell people what to do than it is to earn trust and respect through sacrifice and hard work. and leading through influence.
Jesus eschewed titles, special treatment and honored seats at the table. He worked hard, served tirelessly and loved intensely. The result is that whether you called him Rabbi, King, Messiah, or friend - he had people who would die for him and followed him to the ends of the earth. He laid down His titles and never expected fairness because there’s nothing fair about an innocent man being ruthlessly executed. So it's always worth remembering that the only thing that truly puts us all on equal footing is the level ground at the foot of the cross. Nobles and nothings, murderers and moms all find there the same grace which makes them equally worthy of His love. And that's not fair. But it sure is fantastic.
