Entitlement

“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep.  Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Luke 17:7-10).

This parable is about the attitude we should have as God’s servants.  Those who love His Son Jesus have a servant’s heart because that is what Jesus is: a servant.  The last sentence may seem harsh or out-of-step with God’s love for us because of the word “unworthy.” But if we feel worthy, then we feel entitled to be rewarded. Jesus is asking that we do all we do for Him out of a servant’s heart, for then we will have His attitude in us.

The parable shows a contrast between entitlement, and service out of love. In the first quote we see that a servant who feels entitled would expect his master to reward him by saying “Come along now and sit down to eat.” This would show appreciation for all his hard work and reward him for his labors.  This servant supposes that one who serves the Lord is worthy to be served by Him.  But this type of reward from the Lord would then come out of obligation and deference, and not from His love.

In the second example, we see that the servant was expected to make his master dinner, and make himself ready to wait on him during the meal. Only after the master was done eating could the servant eat. This is an illustration of the servant’s heart that Jesus had.  He never set His servitude down, nor thought Himself worthy of better things than what He suffered. If Jesus can wait until after death to be called “Worthy,” than why should we assume otherwise concerning ourselves and our relationship with God?

I once heard a Christian speaker say that her service so pleased the Lord that He was going to give her a husband that adored and served her. She felt she deserved this reward.  She was “entitled” because of all her travels and labor in the Kingdom. People who sacrifice would like to be acknowledged and rewarded.  But this puts us on a fee-for-service basis with the Lord.  Love does not assume it should be served.  God’s goodness comes to us because of His love.  Our service to Him should also come out of our love. Amen.