I often hear about how people in the West “feel entitled,” and that the entitlement distorts our priorities. I just might agree with this analysis.

I am a Baby Boomer, who has strong ties to members of the Greatest Generation, who fought in World War II. The idea of freedom for oneself and for our neighbor was instilled in my psyche. Everyone is entitled to freedom.

On the heels of entitlement to freedom came entitlement to social welfare care, bailouts, and large pensions. The result was a slackened can-do attitude. We expect others to take care of us, which in turn makes us blame others for our own problems.

It’s a situation that isn’t so healthy for civilization and it reminds me of a story in the Bible.

Isaac had eleven sons, the youngest was Joseph. The elder brothers didn’t like Joseph, for a multitude of reasons including jealousy and anger. They felt as if their dad was treating them unfairly compared to Joseph.

So, behind dad’s back, the brothers sold Joseph to travelers passing by and he was eventually forced into slavery. Joseph worked the best he could and moved up in position but was again cheated and sent to prison.

Life on earth is unfair. That fact will not change, but how we react to the unfairness can change.

Joseph trusted God to deliver him to betterment, especially since he couldn’t rely on human beings to help him fairly. Eventually, Joseph was freed and made ruler over the harvests, to make sure the people wouldn’t starve.

Joseph’s brothers traveled to Joseph to ask for food. They didn’t recognize Joseph because he’d matured and held a high position (the brother’s selfish minds couldn’t even imagine the power of God that overcomes unfairness).

The story ended well. Joseph fed his family and revealed who he was by forgiving his brothers. In other words, he didn’t take advantage of entitlement.

I can be responsible for myself. I can be accountable and work for my entitlements, constantly. Entitlements on this earth are fragile and finite, but my ability and spirituality is able to infinitely achieve betterment.

Quoting from science & religion to God:

Spirituality isn’t in limited supply. It isn’t controlled by a person or organization. The spiritual idea and its healing power can’t be monopolized. The widespread belief that only specific people are entitled to spiritual authority implodes in light of the Biblical stand that all believers “will be called priests of the Lord.”[1]

The supremacy of Spirit entitles us to antidote the chaotic existence of relativity with Truth and Love. We establish the divine Being and its rule by demonstration, by destroying the imaginary partnership between matter and the eternal Mind. Where is unity found? Where is infinite meaning found? In the Being of infinite Mind.

[1] Ex. 19:6; Isa. 61:6; Rev. 1:6