For the Good of the Church, Check Your Entitlement

7 Mins

One thing that muddies the water of modern Christianity is entitlement. It’s the priority of self. It’s serving to be seen. It’s the disciples walking with Jesus towards the cross, arguing over who is the greatest and missing who was in front of them. If left unchecked, this spirit of entitlement will breed comparison, insecurity, divisiveness, and spiritual exhaustion leading to burnout.

Rather, the Scriptures make clear that we are to forgo a spirit of entitlement as we realize that God has entrusted his great promises to us. Living entrusted helps counter the lies of entitlement and helps us celebrate others, live secure, be unified, and find fulfillment and rest in Christ.

In this article, we will examine the key differences between living entitled and living entrusted. To do so, we’ll look to Numbers 16.

“Now Korah… took 2 two hundred fifty prominent Israelite men who were leaders of the community and representatives in the assembly, and they rebelled against Moses. They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have gone too far! Everyone in the entire community is holy, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?” When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will reveal who belongs to him, who is set apart, and the one he will let come near him. He will let the one he chooses come near him. Korah, you and all your followers are to do this: take firepans, and tomorrow place fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD. Then the man the LORD chooses will be the one who is set apart. It is you Levites who have gone too far!”

Numbers 16:1-7

The story goes on to make clear that Moses was the one called by God while Korah and his followers were swallowed up by the earth (Numbers 16:22-48). Five key takeaways rise to the surface in response to this text.

Entitlement is the fruit of a low view of God. Walking entrusted is the expression of a God-sized view of God.

An inflated view of self starts with a deflated view of God. We see this in the difference between Korah & Moses. In the story, Korah’s low view of God expressed itself in his rising up. Yet, Moses, in view of the Almighty, fell facedown. They had different standards of holiness because they had different views of God.

In a day where it’s celebrated to fight for what we think we deserve, Scripture tells a different story. In view of the beauty of Christ, God’s people are compelled to live in humility. We will serve wherever, whoever, and however long because in living before God, we’ve made our lives about God. We’ve found the One who life is about—and it’s not us. Walking as those entrusted must begin with a high view of God and freedom from self.

Entitlement obsesses over position. Walking entrusted is expressed in contentment regardless of position.

Korah wanted the position of Moses, so he wrongfully accused his motives. Take note of how Moses responds. He doesn’t clap back. He doesn’t defend himself. He submits to the authority of the Lord. He defers to God’s judgment, not his own. Moses was content to be wherever the Lord placed him, whether low or high. His goal was God, not a position.

Our job titles are getting longer. Our profiles are growing. It’s easier than ever to be concerned about what position we have. Yet, God doesn’t seem to take the same interest that we do with our titles. Paul’s job title was tentmaker, but his assignment was to be an Apostle. Luke’s job title was doctor, but his assignment was to be a Gospel author and missionary. Mary’s job title was stay-at-home mom, but her assignment was to carry Christ into the world. We know these people, and many more, not because of their titles and positions but because they said yes to their assignments. Chances are the people who have made the biggest impact in your life aren’t those with the longest titles but those who said yes to the Lord in investing in your life. Don’t obsess over position; be content to walk in the assignment God’s given you.

Entitlement focuses on growing a following. Walking entrusted focuses on following faithfully.

“Korah’s followers” are referred to 3 different times in this chapter. It’s interesting that nowhere in the Bible is it said that Moses had followers. Moses was a follower. His obedience was emphasized. His goal was not to gain followers but to see those entrusted to Him follow the Lord. Moses viewed leadership as being before God on behalf of his people, but Korah viewed leadership as being above people. There is a thin line but a drastic difference between these two kinds of leadership. To walk entrusted, the goal must be helpfulness over impressiveness.

Entitlement grumbles. Walking entrusted is expressed in intercession.

Korah rose and complained, but Moses fell and prayed. The truth is, the Lord is more concerned about many of our problems than we are. We can talk to him about them. We know our boss’ boss. We have access to the Almighty. Pray to Him. The highest power does not lie in the meetings of leaders and the elite but in the authority of the King. Oswald Chambers says it well when he writes, “God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.”

Entitlement is concerned with what we deserve. Walking entrusted is concerned with what’s best for our people.

When God proved Moses to be the leader of the people, the Israelites still grumbled against him. Even when the Lord crushed Korah and his followers, the people treated Moses and Aaron poorly. What was their response? Moses loved those who spoke against him. He forgave them and fought for their good.

How can we love those who mistreat us? How can we be faithful when what we do goes unseen? How can we do good to those who don’t like us?

By looking to our true High Priest. His name is Jesus. Jesus is the greater Moses. He is the One who was not entitled but walked entrusted for us.

Jesus had a proper view of God and made a way for us to come to the Father.
Jesus didn’t obsess over position. He gave up his position so we could have position with Him.
Jesus never grumbled but lived to intercede for His people.
Jesus didn’t get what He deserved but embraced what we deserved because He was concerned with what was best for us.

We don’t have to be like Korah; we know Jesus. We don’t have to fight for us, He fights for us. His love frees us from ourselves and invites us to walk with Him. Here, in his love, we can walk as those entrusted and not become entitled.

Scripture References

1.Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent16:1 Or Peleth—took men 2.and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 3.They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”4.When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. 5.Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him. 6.You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers 7.and tomorrow put burning coals and incense in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!”

22.But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?”23.Then the Lord said to Moses, 24.“Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’ ”25.Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26.He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” 27.So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.28.Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29.If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. 30.But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”31.As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32.and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. 33.They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34.At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”35.And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.36.The Lord said to Moses, 37.“Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— 38.the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites.”39.So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40.as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.41.The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.42.But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared. 43.Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, 44.and the Lord said to Moses, 45.“Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.” And they fell facedown.46.Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” 47.So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48.He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

Jonathan Pickens

Jonathan Pickens leads the Student Ministry for Passion City Church Cumberland. He graduated from the University of Georgia and is currently finishing his Masters in Theology from Dallas Seminary. He lives in Marietta with his wife, Mary, and their daughter Rae. He loves anything outdoors, time with family, and the church.