Entitlements

We are born into this life. We are given the gift of life. Many struggle on our behalf to make our lives good. Some of us fortunate ones are given a home with love. Parents who do all they can for us, and they expect so little in return. In this country we are given free schooling. We have so so so much compared to many, and yet we have an insatiable appetite for more.
The best advertisement these days is to have the word free in it. You can get free delivery with your purchase, free fries if you buy a hamburger and a drink, etc. Free at what cost? If you look at the menu cost the value meal is sometimes less than buying a hamburger and a drink. The free delivery is actually included in the original cost. We want our government to give us this and that, and yet someone must pay for it but we just hope it is not us. How selfish we are.
My mom always told me that if I wasted my food, that there were starving children in Africa that didn't have any so I should be grateful and not waste. What I didn't understand is that when I wasted my food, my family no longer had that food available to eat. Then my mom had to go to the store and buy more. Because I wasted our family had less money. The story doesn't end there though. Because I wasted and my mom had to buy more food at the store, now the store could sell more to my mom at a certain price. There is only so much food available, so if my mom is willing to buy it at a higher price, then those in a poorer country, then she will get the food, and their food costs will go up. A family who was struggling just to get enough food now has to struggle more and go without. And what about those who rely on help from others, since food is now more scarce they get less help, and I am contributing to their hunger.
Everything we do has an effect. We may just not understand the full effect even if someone tries to tell us. I knew that there were starving children in Africa, I just didn't realize I was contributing to the problem. Our extras that we let go to waste of clothing, energy, talents, and time, are in actuality stealing from others. Those who may need it most. If we change from entitlements(selfishness) to efficiency(selflessness) we will find that we actually have more, because the blessings of the Lord will be upon us as we are wise stewards. Then the Lord will be able to give us 10 talents instead of one, because we will know how to use them.