Friday, September 12, 2008
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
PERSPECTIVE: A VIEW OF RIGHTS
Man never shows himself as a more despicable creature than we he insists on his "rights" -- from the American who believes it is his right to have health care and health treatment to the Egyptian man I met the other day who seems to think that America owes it to the rest of the world and especially him to pour out our wealth upon them until all is equal; from the single pregnant woman who believes it is her right to rid her life of the upcoming "nuisance" to the middle aged son who claims he needs to live his own life and can't be bothered to take care of his aging parents; from the child who insists it is his toy and he has the right to play with it first to the husband who insists he earned the money and has a right to use it as he wishes. All these are but a few examples of the ways in which people stand up for their rights.
God's perspective is that we deserve nothing. We have no rights, not a single one. God shows us that EVERYTHING we have without exception is a privilege, not a right. We don't even deserve a chance. We don't even deserve life. If we live in a tent and survive on bread and water we have more than we deserve, and all of it is a gift from God because He is gracious.
How much more therefore should we not praise and glorify Him when He has given us gifts far exceeding the bare necessities, including His only Son and a way into His kingdom, even His own glorious city. We deserve nothing and have no rights, but God has given to us all freedom and all things that are good. When we remember this we will quit selfishly demanding, "God why don't you give me this or that," and learn to thank and praise Him from our hearts for the wondrous things He has done.
Change your perspective: God in Christ has Given Us What We Do Not Deserve.
