Jolee and I have been stretched physically and emotionally thin the last few years with various challenges. When times get tough it is amazing how easy it is to become an arrogant, impatient jerk and snap at my wife and kids instead of being patient, kind, and serving them in love as Jesus commands me. Pastor John mentioned recently how we tend to walk through life with a sense of entitlement and when things go poorly we complain or lash out because we feel we deserve better. He is right! When I prepare my heart to expect that as a servant of Jesus I will suffer daily in this lifetime, it makes it much easier to deal with the various trials of the day. But, when I have a heart that believes it is entitled to be served rather than serve, or be in comfort rather than suffer, then that’s when the sinful nature comes alive in me.
Entitlement is a wicked thing. The enemy has the world believing they are entitled to the best of everything without pain or suffering, and everyone swallows it hook, line and sinker. Scripture says exactly the opposite and describes the human heart as wretched, idolatrous, an enemy of God, and DESERVING the eternal wrath and judgment of God.
Christian entitlement is equally deceitful. The enemy has brainwashed many Christians today into thinking that since they have escaped the wrath of God and become His children, they are entitled to live like princes here on earth, free of suffering. Yes it is true that a born again Christian can live like royalty on earth and still go to heaven. But they miss out on the GREATER ETERNAL REWARD. Jesus warns us in Luke 12:33 to provide purses for ourselves that will not wear out. A purse is something that holds things of great value.
Purses that “never wear out” contain spiritual treasures that we accumulate in this life that will pass through into the next life and be ours eternally. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says: If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
I believe a spiritual treasure is basically any work that God prepares a Christian to do beforehand through the power and person of the Holy Spirit that glorifies God. And, I am not aware of any spiritual treasure that can be gained without some measure of personal sacrifice or suffering.
Examples of gaining spiritual treasure might be:
- Bill is riding in a taxi cab and shares the gospel with the taxi driver. The taxi driver doesn’t immediately come to faith in Jesus, but 20 years later he does. Bill’s testimony was a building block in the effort of the taxi driver coming to faith in Jesus. The Sacrifice: Bill shared his faith even though he risked being ignored or being thought to be a fool. The Reward: Bill shares in the eternal treasure and reward of the taxi driver coming to eternal faith in Jesus.
- Bill received a 5k bonus from work. Bill has many options for spending the money. Instead of putting a hefty down payment on a new boat, Bill uses 2.5k of it to give to the missions budget at church and uses the rest to pay off debt. The Sacrifice: Bill chose to skip the boat and give to something he may not see the benefit of in this lifetime (i.e. church missions). The Reward: Bill shares in the eternal treasure of many people coming to Jesus.
- Bill is watching his favorite football team on tv but his kids need to be tucked in and prayed for. Bill chooses to turn off the tv and miss the game to pray with his kids. The Sacrifice: Bill misses the game. The Reward: Bill continues to influence his children’s lives through his example and through prayer.
In summary, I want to live radically for God, serve others in love, and store up spiritual treasures. But the reality is that I am a sinful, wretched man who regularly struggles with the sin of entitlement. However, when I remember the fact that I am not entitled to anything but God’s wrath, and that God allows light and momentary affliction to sanctify me and make me more like Jesus – it helps me to humble myself as a servant again. May God give each of us victory over the sin of entitlement and strengthen us to work for the eternal treasure that never fades!
Five Talents More 