Entitlement and Servitude (some old ramblings)

Entitlement vs. Servitude

As a servant of God what am I entitled to?

As a kid born and raised in (and never having left) America, I can honestly say I struggle with entitlement. There are things which I figure are my due. I deserve to be treated kindly and with respect. I deserve to be thanked when I help someone. I am entitled to be paid for working, to be treated well. I am entitled to my convenience. These are the things America has told me. And when the things I am entitled to are infringed upon I have every right to start a big fuss over it, because I am being denied my rights. I am allowed to react in defense to these things. I am supposed to. Or am I?
What does it REALLY mean to be a SERVANT of God? What rights does a servant get to keep? What rights do I have to give up in order to be a servant of my God and his creatures?

The pursuit of happiness?

Liberty?


Life?

Wealth?

Success?

Moral consideration?

Am I allowed to demand being treated well?

Society teaches that life should be fair. Legal systems are in place to try to ensure a just world. People are to be valued by other people, because that is good to do and we all like feeling valued. When people treat you in a way that does not recognize your inherent value, you should demand that they do.

Right?

Or is the proper response to suffer in silence? Not to correct their abuse?

And why is it easier to play the silent-sufferer role amongst non-believers? I can be a martyr, but not a slave.

Yet James identifies himself as a Bondservant of Christ when writing his epistle to his brothers and sisters (James 1:1,-2).

I used to think context kind of excused it, and there may be something to that, after all in my own home if a bug crawls onto my plate and into my dinner I probably won’t touch my food, or at least I make rather a fuss about it; however, if I am camping, I just flick it off and continue my meal. I feel like most people just aren’t as bothered by bugs and dirt while they are camping as they are while at home.
Analogously, it is harder to get along with my siblings than with anyone in the world (or it used to be). It is harder to serve and be generous in my house than when I “go into the world.” I always thought of it as a matter of context. James seems to think otherwise.

Why would He, or I, have to identify myself as a servant to my family???? Even if what he means is the church, this is difficult for me. When I come home from a day of serving people I am supposed to come to my siblings (and the rest of my family) and say “I am the bondservant of Christ,” so I can continue serving? Home is supposed to be a place of refuge and rest.

…. Unless we are not home yet….

Hmm…..