I was once awarded special status by an airline as a frequent flier. Actually, I was a gold card member. My package arrived with benefits such as an upgrade to business class, check in at the business counter, priority baggage handling, and the thing I enjoy the most, access to business lounges. They can be welcome refuges after long hours of traveling amidst a demanding schedule, often in developing countries. A free cup of tea and snacks; a comfortable chair, and a newspaper. All away from the hustle and bustle, noise and often cigarette smoke filled terminal.
And so, I flash my gold card, striding up to the business class facilities. I know I don’t have the “class” of business executives, and rich people. But I’ve quickly gotten over any inferiority feelings as I claim my benefits. On a recent trip, after missed flights and delays, I went straight up to the business counter to sort out my bookings, trying to be invisible as I jumped the snaking queue of frustrated travelers. Suddenly a man’s voice boomed out from the end of the queue, “get back in line, lady!” Everyone looked at me, then at him as I muttered something about my being “allowed to be here” and went back to the task in hand. Well, that confirmed that my image was not that of a business traveler; but quite frankly, by that point, who cared?
I became quite comfortable with the privileges of being a gold member. I stood at the baggage carousels, waiting for my bags to appear first. They don’t come. I become annoyed; then indignant. Didn’t they know who I was? Why haven’t they given me priority? How dare they! On the plane, I find myself given a seat in the middle of the middle! Why didn’t they give me my requested aisle seat? Don’t they know who I am? How dare they? I get over it; it’s a short flight, and I have a spare seat next to me. Just as we are about to take off, a very, very large woman squeezes in that seat, and spills over into mine. That’s it! I will complain. I deserve better treatment. After all, I have status; I am a gold card carrier. Soon I’ll have elite gold status! The more I traveled, the more I expected and demanded. The privilege of my status now became ‘my rights’. I was quickly offended when my rights were not acknowledged and deferred to.
Isn’t that what some Christians are like? They believe that they have a gold card which entitles them to special treatment by God. What they in the past have enjoyed as privileges and gifts, they now demand as their right. Although they won’t admit it, they believe God shows partiality. Somehow, they believe they are specially favored. They have earned, or deserve better treatment than others by God. You’ll recognize ‘card carrying Christians’ because they get angry and offended easily; they try to manipulate God to get their own way; they complain and feel sorry for themselves. Just like I did. I have also behaved like that in my relationship to God. I not only claimed special rights for my own life, but also I enrolled my family for the program. My children must also be entitled to be treated differently by God.
The fact is, God shows no partiality. No matter how faithful we have been; how many miles we have traveled in the Christian life; how much we have served Him; we do not gain gold status with Him. We are entitled to nothing. All His provision is through grace and mercy alone shown to us in Christ Jesus. God knows exactly what each one of us needs, and He has promised to provide. Why are we indignant when things go wrong, trials and problems come? Because we think too highly of ourselves; we give ourselves status. It’s not from God.
Perhaps we all need to cut up our cards. “Father, I am no better than my brothers and sisters in Christ. I live by your grace alone. I have no rights. I yield to You”.
For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man that is among you, not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. Romans 12:3
