Indebtedness

“Why did John get 50 cents and I only got a 25 cent raise?”

“Why does nothing ever go MY way?”

“What have you ever done for me?”

“They don’t pay me enough to do that?”

“Why me?”

“Me, my, mine, gimme, gettme, gotcha!”

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard these exclamations. In my time as a supervisor, manager, minister, and father it would total into the thousands. People who focus on their rights and their problems and their issues and totally forget about what others are going through. I have been guilty of it myself a time or two hundred. What is this? Why is our tendency toward selfishness?

From the time we were in the high chair we scream and cry for our rights with puréed carrots on our faces and a thrown spoon thrown to the floor for the umpteenth time; to our first job when we realize how much the government takes out of our paycheck; to the fifth job where we are passed by again for that big promotion or raise; to retirement complaints about Social Security payments and the cost of health care. We are selfish people.

That is why I preach to every business man and women, every church member and especially my kids to “consider yourself in a constant state of indebtedness.” In other words, never go around with the impression that people “owe” you, go around under the assumption that YOU “owe” people. Consider yourself indebted to others and you will find your life so much brighter. Brighter because you will always be thankful for any little thing; brighter because you will find ways to repay people for that debt; brighter because you will distinguish yourself from all others; brighter because you will find joy. So hear it again in this season, wherever you are: “ALWAYS consider yourself in a constant state of indebtedness!”

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