A Matter of Inconvenience

I was attempting to use a corporate credit card for an outreach event we have coming up and had my card
declined. In light of recent national credit card privacy issues, our bank decided it was best to flag it until they could confirm it was still in our possession. I spent 15 minutes on hold with our company waiting to clear it up and found myself getting a little frustrated with the delay. At one point I thought to myself, "This is extremely inconvenient--I wish they would just leave it alone until they hear from us." My next thought was, "Of course, if they weren't diligent in watching our cards I would be upset if an illicit purchase went through." It was then that I realized the real reason I was irritated: I had been inconvenienced.

It's much easier to remain indignant over these irritations than it is to look at the root of the problem. Sadly, that root is found in my sense of entitlement. I expect to be able to do what I need to do without interruption, but also expect that any future problems be kept away as well. It's an unrealistic viewpoint that affects more of us than we're willing to admit. It's a fundamentally incorrect belief that as long as things go smoothly according to our individual plans it doesn't matter how it affects others. That's a symptom of selfishness that is at the root of most of our societal issues. I can't fix all of those problems on my own, but I can work on it in my own life.

Deserving

As I was driving this morning I passed a billboard for a local car dealership that had the tagline, "You deserve it!" I understand their rationale--they want you to come buy a car and are trying to convince you that it's okay to spend the money. It's a deeper root of personal satisfaction that they are trying to influence however--the principle of self-entitlement. This is the underlying cause of so many of our current problems. We think we are entitled to a new possession so we go into debt. Men & women justify their infidelity based on their unhealthy marriages and claim that it is perfectly fine to stray. We rationalize our eating habits and laziness based on our busy schedules and stress levels. We spend time online or in front of the television each night instead of with our families because we've worked hard and deserve the down time. 

The phrase, "I deserve it!" becomes a crutch for poor decision making and abandoning principles that are important to us when it's used selfishly. It might seem acceptable (and even beneficial) at the moment, but the results can have lasting effects.