Posted on 02/02/2012 7:45:35 PM PST by WXRGina
The other day I was talking to Kipp Greggory, our morning talk show host, during whose program this radio blog broadcast airs. We do not see each other very often, but when we do, it’s a fast-paced gab fest! He brought up a point of aggravation to him that amazed me, because it is something that bothers my husband and me, as well, and I have not heard anyone else make the point. It is the profusion of advertising that appeals to the prevalent sense of entitlement that infects many people in our society today.
You have heard the ads on the radio. You have seen them on television. Whatever product is being pushed, the message is often phrased in the “you deserve” angle. “Get the credit you deserve.” “Get the home you deserve.” “Get the job you deserve.” “Get the body you deserve.” “Get the love life you deserve.” “Get the good night’s sleep you deserve.” The list goes on and on, and is enough to drive you crazy, if you are paying attention to such foolish messaging.
I think one of the earliest incarnations of this dumb message was by McDonalds, when it launched the early-1970s “You deserve a break today” ad campaign. Yes, we all deserved our splendid pick from a delightful fast food menu.
What is it that bothers me so much about this message? Well, for one thing, it is stupid. How can we logically conclude that we “deserve” any of the things the advertising world pushes at us? If we have eaten ourselves into five sizes too big, how can we justify believing that we “deserve” to have a body like the beautiful, trim model on the exercise machine pictured on television? If we have spent ourselves into a chasm of debt, how can we imagine we should get the credit we “deserve”? It makes no sense, except to a mind blinded by lazy, selfish greed.
But, the bottom line of why this message irks me is the fact that I know what we all deserve, and some of you will not like to hear it. We all deserve death. Yes, death. Whether we like it or not, and whether we even accept it or not, we are accountable to our Creator. God is. And, we owe him our very existence, because we cannot take a breath without receiving it from Him. All we have comes from Him (and we think we earned it on our own). He made us and all we see, and He has a standard of perfection that none of us can achieve. His law requires perfect obedience, but not one of us could ever perfectly obey, and God’s penalty for breaking His law is death, which is eternal separation from Him.
God knew from before He created time and set us in it that we would choose sin and death, and Adam wasted no time in making that choice in the Garden, so God, Who loves us infinitely, made a way, a bridge, between God and man. That bridge is God the Father’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus willingly took on the form of fallen mankind and lived a sinless life—not once did He break God’s law—and He offered Himself up as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He gave His life—no one took it from him, because no one could. He took upon Himself the death we all deserve.
There is no other way to God, except through His Son. Yes, it is exclusive. That is why Jesus said that broad is the way that leads to destruction—with the many, many false religions, false versions of Christianity and idols in the world—and many people go down that deadly path, but narrow is the gate that leads to life, and few find it. Jesus is that Gate.
I suppose this message of salvation is what makes the “you deserve”-entitlement-mentality advertising so sinister. The very message of “you deserve” is a lie, and although I realize lots of advertising is lies, this lie is somehow worse, because it directly contradicts the truth of God’s Word. It serves to lift man up on his own mini-god pedestal, where he “deserves” the finest things this world has to offer, and if he is up there on his lofty perch, how can he see himself as the hopeless wretch he truly is, who is in desperate need of salvation? He can’t.
The message of salvation is plain and simple, and it is a sweet fragrance to those who embrace it, but it is a stench to those who refuse it as they perish. The Apostle John transcribed the words of Jesus in this powerful passage,
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
The fact that we are moving around and living our lives is a testament to God’s great patience and mercy. Most of us do not get what we deserve in a timely manner. God gives us countless chances to turn to Him and accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus. I thank God that I will not get what I deserve, for though I stumble on a daily basis, when I die, I will not experience eternal separation from Him. I will be covered by the blood of Jesus. Thanks be to my Father in Heaven!
The principle of getting what we deserve also applies to the shabby state of our nation today. The Word of the Lord through the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians states one of God’s immutable truths,
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
America turned its collective back on God several decades ago. Those among us who despise God and Christ have worked hellishly and feverishly to force even the mention of the Lord’s name out of the public square, and those of us who love the Lord allowed it to happen with hardly a fight. What do we suppose we deserve as a nation for spitting in His holy face? We have the degenerate society we deserve. We have the corrupt government we deserve. We have the wicked public education system we deserve, which cranks out the godless, socialist automatons we deserve (Occupy Wall Street, anyone?). We have the criminal fraud of a President we deserve.
And, unless this nation somehow makes a sharp, right-hand U-turn to the Lord, we will continue to get the hell we deserve in increasing measure. But, no matter how bad things get in our country and the world, each of us individually has the opportunity—as long as we are still alive—to accept God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you have not already done so, please accept Him while you still can, so that you can possess true peace, wisdom and knowledge during your time on this earth, and so that on that great and terrible Day of the Lord, you will not get what you deserve.
Thanks for your post:
I like one that always says after being asked: “How are you doing Dave?”
He always answers: “Better than I deserve!”
The weight of the world is lifted when we realize that our own soul is really all that matters in the long run. Its the only thing we’re really responsible for and the only thing of true value that we have. It can’t be taken away.
The thing is, I think it leads to a better world as a result.
Besides, I can’t save America if I don’t save my own self.
Can’t be said enough and, by the way, beautifully written.
Look around the radio dial if you've not heard her. She will make you feel like Clint Eastwood all day long, after hearing her.
Thank you for posting this. I agree with you and I am inviting some friends who are far more capable than I to exchange ideas with you. I see some contradictions in what you say but rather than do the research of find and post I will withdraw in favor of my friends.
ping
IMHO the "I deserve" mentality springs from the "me" generation. In their view, "it's all about meeeeee." "The universe revolves around meeeeee." "Looking out for number one" and so.
Successful marketers do not sell drills, they sell holes. Why? Because that's what people want.
It works.
The disease is not in marketing but in the "me" lie. And that was the appeal to Eve in the Garden of Eden in the first place!
Man is woefully blind and stupid. Because he is self-aware, he concludes that self is what all that there is is all about. How dumb!
We cannot sense how fast we are moving through the cosmos or the proportion of cosmos to quantum or relativistic time. We cannot see over the horizon or behind our backs or into the past or future or even a closed box. Worse, no matter how much we love someone we can never truly understand him. We can never see through his eyes.
What idiots we are when we believe that it's all about meeeeee.
Just look at the game shows from the 50s, it was very common for people to speak about Jesus, God, Scriptures, Bible stories. And they were reverent.
But now, the only way God's Name is acceptable in the media for public consumption is when it is spoken as an expletive. And they gasp in horror when His Name is uttered in reverence out-of-school, e.g. Tebow.
The Supreme Court has overturned evil decisions in the past, e.g. Dred Scott. And recently, they rejected the Obama administration and sided 100% with religious institutions' rights to hire and fire based on religion.
Moreover, a recent decision in the 7th (Kaufman v McCaughtry) determined that atheism is a religion. This means by removing God's Name from publicly funded institutions, the Supreme Court inadvertently established atheism as the religion of the land.
I pray urgently and earnestly that a case will come before the Supreme Court making that point and that the court will be ready to overturn or at least chip away at their own past, evil decision so that Freedom of Religion instead of Freedom from Religion can be re-established in our beloved country.
God's Name is I AM!
Excellent, excellent points!
Thanks so much!
IMHO the "I deserve" mentality springs from the "me" generation. In their view, "it's all about meeeeee." "The universe revolves around meeeeee." "Looking out for number one" and so.
It's all that entitlement mentality. Now that I think about it, I think it's what's the driving force behind the name it and claim it Christianity that's out there.
The mentality that we are the children of God, which all true believers are, and that as those children, we have the *right* to certain things, like health and wealth.
Now, granted God is our provider and has made promises, but what I see is the difference between someone resting in those promises and acting like a petulant, spolied brat DEMANDING things from God, as if He's a sugar daddy, there to provide them with every whim and protect them from every unpleasantness.
That is not how God gets the glory in us becoming overcomers.
Entitlement mentality has permeated the church and is destroying it. Instead of looking at what we can do to minister to others and share the love of Christ with them, I see too many people trying to see what they can get from God for their own personal happiness and contentment, all being justified with the mentality that once they have that, THEN they'll give to the poor and share what they have, etc.
It's SOOOO backwards.
Because too many people view God Almighty as their personal magic genie.
Yup. Entitlement mentality.
FWIW, Dred Scott was not overturned by the Supreme Court.
It was overturned by a bloody Civil War followed by the 13th and 14th Amendments.
Stuff I encounter CONSTANTLY!!!!!!!!!!
Especially in light of dealing with something like my food intolerance issues.
I'm being told constantly that it's a *generational curse* or sin in my life, or some such thing and if I just rebuke the enemy, plead the blood, *walk it out*, *eat in faith*, whatever, then viola', I'll be healed. It's mine and I just have to claim it, own it, walk it out, etc. Like God owes me perfect health and lots of prosperity. The problem is, that kind of theology comes in head on clash with reality and the individual suffers, especially with the guilt and condemnation that results.
that once they have that, THEN they'll give to the poor and share what they have, etc.
Perhaps they are missing what you sow you reap. Sowing comes first. And The Word has to be sown till it grows deep roots that the elements (right soil, water and sun) supplies. Daily reading of the Word and believing by FAITH what one is reading.
The man looking for a tomato when he never watered the seed he has sown and wondered what happened. And some are watering but have no faith because they have to see it first to believe it and keep digging it to up see what's going on and it's never allowed to get roots. 'Just believe' isn't for wimps!
God gets the glory in us becoming overcomers.
AMEN!!
They can’t have what He hasn’t promised. And much that He has promised has never been believed or asked for. My people suffer for a lack of knowledge.
These days, they'd be chastised for their lack of faith in not claiming the prosperity that is theirs in Christ and be lectured that they're poor because the devourer has come because they're not tithing properly. All they'd have to do is tithe and their problems would be over.
We have exactly what we "deserve"; for we have done little or nothing to counter in the public square the diabolical assault on our God-given American liberties and values (i.e., as conducted by the MSM and elite academe), and especially by the public schools. The ridiculous emphasis on "parity of esteem" — nobody can "win" if it causes somebody else to "feel bad about himself"; ergo, give trophies to everybody, as it were just for showing up — is just the recipe for turning out the next generation of envious morons.
Or as Screwtape puts it:
For "democracy" or the "democratic spirit" (diabolical sense) leads to a nation without great men, a nation mainly of subliterates, full of the cocksureness which flattery breeds on ignorance, and quick to snarl or whimper at the first hint of criticism. And this is what Hell wishes every democratic people to be.That's C. S. Lewis' "Screwtape" — a very senior devil and high-ranking administrator of Hell's Tempters' Training College for young devils, in "Screwtape Proposes a Toast," in the 1961 Touchstone edition of The Screwtape Letters.
Screwtape is a highly experienced and deeply perceptive devil, in service to "Our Father Below." He notes that two revolutions shook the world — the American and the French — in the late eighteenth century, and that both were ostensibly motivated by the principles of liberty and democracy. Yet this experienced old devil notes that, from the French side, "there was in the movement so much rejection of faith, so much materialism, secularism, and hatred, that we felt we were bound to encourage it."
Hidden in the heart of this striving for Liberty there was also a deep hatred of personal freedom. That invaluable man Rousseau first revealed it. In his perfect democracy, you remember, only the state religion is permitted, slavery is restored, and the individual is told that he has really willed (though he didn't know it) whatever the Government tells him to do. From that starting point, via Hegel (another indispensable propagandist on our side), we easily contrived both the Nazi and the Communist state....So it's okay if "it's all about meeeeeeeeeeee." If we are all literally "equals," then "I deserve" what you have. If I'm your equal, then "I'm as good as you." There should be equality of result as between you and me....
Democracy is the word with which you must lead them by the nose.... It will never occur to them that democracy is properly the name of a political system, even a system of voting, and that this has only the most remote and tenuous connection with what you are trying to sell them. Nor of course must they ever be allowed to raise Aristotle's question: whether "democratic behaviour" means the behaviour that democracies like or the behavior that will preserve a democracy. For if they did, it could hardly fail to occur to them that these need not be the same.
And of course [democracy] is connected with the political ideal that men should be equally treated. You then make a stealthy transition in their minds from this political ideal to a factual belief that all men are equal.... As a result you can use the word democracy to sanction in his thought the most degrading (and also the least enjoyable) of all human feelings [e.g., envy]. You can get him to practice, not only without shame but with a positive glow of self-approval, conduct which, if undefended by the magic word, would be universally derided.
Backtracking just a bit, the two revolutions devoted to Liberty were based on different presuppositions. The American revolution was premised in the idea that the "rights of man" were directly endued in him by God, and God "guarantees" them — i.e., they are "unalienable" natural rights pertaining to each and every human individual. The French revolution was premised in the idea that Liberté, Egalité, and Fraternité could be asserted and defended by the State, but only in the name of an abstract humanity. That is, without respect to actual human individuals at all, whose personal identities are dissolved in the notion of the General Will.
As long as America saw herself as "a nation under God," we prospered as a nation. However, at around the turn of the 20th century, the ideology of the French Revolution started to become fashionable here, in the form of the early Progressivist movement. Thanks to John Dewey and his pedagogical followers, it has been well integrated into the public school curricula throughout the land for the past forty years at least.
In order to make pupils suitable fodder for the General Will, they must be "educated." Indeed, this was Rousseau's panacea. But no longer is education about the transmission of the common culture from one generation to the next; nor is it any longer about the cultivation of the pupil's critical thinking skills. Public education is about "socializing" children. Train 'em up to where they are productive, compliant taxpayers! Train them up in all politically correct views! They don't need more education than that....
The crafty devil Screwtape is laughing at us:
What I want to fix your attention on is the vast, overall movement towards the discrediting, and finally the elimination of every kind of human excellence — moral, cultural, social, or intellectual. And is it not pretty to notice how "democracy" (in the incantatory sense) is now doing for us the work that was once done by the most ancient Dictatorships, and by the same methods? You remember how one of the Greek Dictators (they called them "tyrants" then) sent an envoy to another Dictator to ask his advice about the principles of government. The second Dictator led the envoy into a field of grain, and there he snicked off with his cane the top of every stalk that rose an inch or so above the general level. The moral was plain. Allow no preeminence among your subjects. Let no man live who is wiser or better or more famous or even handsomer than the mass. Cut them all down to a level: all slaves, all ciphers, all nobodies. All equals. Thus Tyrants could practice, in a sense, "democracy." But now "democracy" can do the same work without any tyranny other than her own. No one need now go through the field with a cane. The little stalks will now of themselves bite the tops off the big ones. The big ones are beginning to bite off their own in their desire to Be Like Stalks.May God ever bless C. S. Lewis for his "diabolical ventriloquism," for letting the crafty devil speak for "his Father Below" with respect to his plans for God's children.....
Sorry to run on so long, dear sister in Christ. I only hope you like C. S. Lewis as much as I do!
In closing: I so agree with what you wrote, WXRGina:
And, unless this nation somehow makes a sharp, right-hand U-turn to the Lord, we will continue to get the hell we deserve in increasing measure. But, no matter how bad things get in our country and the world, each of us individually has the opportunity—as long as we are still alive—to accept God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you have not already done so, please accept Him while you still can, so that you can possess true peace, wisdom and knowledge during your time on this earth, and so that on that great and terrible Day of the Lord, you will not get what you deserve.Your words bring a great Negro spiritual to mind:
People get ready, there's a train a comin'Thank you ever so much, dear WXRGina, for your outstanding, powerfully insightful essay/post!
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
People get ready for the train to Jordan
It's picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board 'em
There's hope for all among those loved the most.There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
For there's no hiding place against the Kingdom's throneSo people get ready, there's a train a comin'
You don't need no baggage, you just get on board
All you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the Lord
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