Not Owed; Owe.

Little bit of background information for why I chose to write about entitlement - My mentor and friend, Jordan Howell (College Ministry Director of Salt Company Cedar Rapids), and I were meeting yesterday when he said he had some good information for me and began sharing about entitlement. We had a full circle conversation about the topic, and if you've ever had a full circle thought process with someone, you know that it is a really neat experience for both parties when you are able to piece together two perspectives into one.

Have you ever felt like you deserved something? You might be the leader in the organization and constantly wondering when someone is going to tell you good job, after all, you are the most valuable. Maybe you worked overtime this week and met every metric required of you plus some, and you are still wondering, "what's in it for me?" You may have even overheard that one of your co-workers got a raise this week and now you're left wondering when you'll get your raise. I mean it has to be any day now.

I would argue that there are three categories of entitlement and each of the scenarios above (along with millions of others) fall into one of them. I identify them as the following:

Importance Entitlement

Value Entitlement

Equality Entitlement

Importance Entitlement is much like the first scenario given above. It is centered on self - importance and seeks to be served. Importance entitlement says, "I deserve ___ because I am great." This type of entitlement kills team morale and undermines the main goal of a team - to serve one another. Leaders with this sense of entitlement are slow to serve others, but quick to be served.

Value Entitlement creates a major problem in the workforce. Centered on self-value, it says, "I deserve ___ because I worked for it." Value Entitlement is probably one of the hardest forms of entitlement to let go of. It makes sense that I worked for something so I should be rewarded, but what conclusion does this mentality lead you to when you aren't rewarded? If your expectation is always focused on what is deserved because of what you did, your reality will always be disappointment. A disappointed leader is often an underdelivering encourager and a shortcoming motivator.

Equality Entitlement is the more prevalent in our society today. If someone else has something, we think we deserve it also. Equality Entitlement says, "I deserve ___ because they have it." This sense of entitlement is also centered on self-value. Not because I worked for something, but because I know I'm not any less valuable than that person is. When we are caught comparing our blessings to others, our productivity and efficiency go right out the door. We feel a sudden need to make a case for our own good that only leads to complaining. Our organizational value drops tremendously and we instantly become the privileged one; gaining something (the paycheck) for contributing nothing but complaints.

You may have noticed that these all have one thing in common - they are centered around self. Entitlement is always self-centered, and true servantude is far from that.

While it can be nice to feel like we earned something, the truth is that we haven't. So often we feel like we are owed something and we completely disregard the fact that we owe everything. This blog is focused on servant leadership not because we serve to be owed, but to serve because we owe. Jesus was the perfect example of a servant leader. (Going to get all "churchy." Sorry, not sorry.) The good news is that God sent his son, Jesus, to live, die, and raise again as the perfect sacrifice so that, by grace, we would be saved. He died for you and for me so that we could live eternal life. No one owes you anything. Everything you have is already a blessing by grace. You and I owe everything.

Struggling with Importance Entitlement? Well guess what, you're ordinary and in need of a savior just like the rest of us - go serve.

Struggling with Value Entitlement (like me)? Well guess what, we have already been given a gift greater than anything we can comprehend, so let's stop believing the lie that our work is going unrewarded. It was rewarded before we started.

Struggling with Equality Entitlement? Well guess what, you are already blessed. You just aren't seeing it because you're too busy comparing instead of thanking.

Set yourself aside and serve, because the greatest reward has already been given.

Not owed; owe.