Characteristics and Behaviors of Negative Entitlement.

Negative entitlement can manifest in various ways, often impacting relationships, communities, and personal growth. Here are some characteristics and behaviors that typically indicate a sense of negative entitlement:

1. **Unwillingness to Take Responsibility:**

- **Behavior:** Blaming others for personal failures or shortcomings, avoiding accountability for actions.

- **Illustration:** Like Adam blaming Eve and Eve blaming the serpent in Genesis 3:12-13.

2. **Constant Complaining and Grumbling:**

- **Behavior:** Frequent dissatisfaction with life circumstances, always finding something to criticize.

- **Illustration:** The Israelites constantly complained about their conditions in the wilderness (Exodus 16-17).

3. **Expecting Special Treatment:**

- **Behavior:** Demanding preferential treatment or privileges without merit, feeling they deserve more than others.

- **Illustration:** The workers in the parable of the vineyard who felt entitled to more pay than those who worked fewer hours (Matthew 20:1-16).

4. **Lack of Gratitude:**

- **Behavior:** Rarely expressing thankfulness, taking blessings for granted.

- **Illustration:** The nine lepers who did not return to thank Jesus after being healed (Luke 17:11-19).

5. **Self-Centeredness:**

- **Behavior:** Prioritizing personal needs and desires above others, showing little regard for others' feelings or well-being.

- **Illustration:** The rich man who ignored Lazarus at his gate (Luke 16:19-31).

6. **Impatience:**

- **Behavior:** Easily frustrated when things don't go their way, lacking patience with others and circumstances.

- **Illustration:** Saul's impatience led him to offer the burnt offering, against God's command (1 Samuel 13:8-14).

7. **Arrogance and Pride:**

- **Behavior:** Overestimating one's importance or abilities, looking down on others.

- **Illustration:** The Pharisee who thanked God he was not like other men, especially the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14).

8. **Inability to Handle Criticism:**

- **Behavior:** Becoming defensive or angry when faced with criticism or correction, refusing to consider other perspectives.

- **Illustration:** King Ahab's reaction to the prophet Micaiah's negative prophecy (1 Kings 22:8).

9. **Sense of Injustice:**

- **Behavior:** Feeling wronged when not given special privileges, perceiving fairness as a personal attack.

- **Illustration:** The elder brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son, who felt it was unjust for his father to celebrate the return of his repentant brother (Luke 15:25-32).

10. **Manipulative Behavior:**

- **Behavior:** Using others to achieve personal goals, exploiting relationships for self-gain.

- **Illustration:** Delilah manipulates Samson to reveal the secret of his strength (Judges 16).

Conclusion

Negative entitlement is detrimental not only to the individual but also to those around them. Recognizing these characteristics and behaviors in oneself or others is the first step toward addressing and correcting this mindset. The Bible teaches us the importance of humility, gratitude, and a servant-hearted attitude, which are antidotes to the destructive nature of negative entitlement.