Tackiness: Expecting when not deserving!

Some things are "tacky"! Those people who engage in tackiness show a lack of good-breeding. Complaining about the good fortune of others is tacky.  Believing that one deserves "things" is tacky! Taking things for granted is tacky. Expecting an "A" for effort is tacky when performance is below that! . In essence tackiness is when those in lesser social-economic classes expect the same as those who are in the higher. It's Cinderella acting the part of princess. That's tacky!

Matthew 20:8 "So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us..."

This is the Parable of the Vineyard Workers. The master paid those who worked all day a fair wage, but those who came the last hour were given the same. The master was generous to the first and charitable to the last. It was his prerogative to be generous as he pleased. Those who worked all day weren't appreciative, getting what they agreed to get! They felt that they DESERVED the same as those who worked less received. Gifts aren't given because they are earned, but because of love! No one deserves love. Love is a bonus when one receives it!  Charity, when given by demand, is not out of love!

The workers who came first were tacky!  They DESERVED only what they worked for, but EXPECTED what the others were freely given. That shows a lack of good-breeding. Well-bred people appreciate what they earn, expect nothing for free, and are grateful when they get more when the gift is freely given by others. Expecting and demanding that others GIVE is not in the spirit of charity. It is mild form of terrorism at best. It makes "giving" unpleasant because the gift is given because of extortion!

Let's look at another example:

Mark 10:35 "And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. 36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? 37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. 43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

This is interesting because when James and John were picked to follow Jesus, they were promised nothing! Jesus merely "called them" (Mark 1:20a) "and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him." (Mark 20b). Jesus didn't owe them a thing! They came of their own volition, no payment was discussed; not even salvation, but yet, as can be seen in Mark 10:35 they EXPECTED special seating when they got to "glory". In effect, they were called to be servants, but wanted to be royalty. Since Jesus came to serve, and not to be served" it was TACKY that James and John EXPECTED, even felt that they DESERVED special treatment! Rather than being "chiefest" that person "shall be servant of all"!

James and John were mere fisherman. They mended their own nets. Rather than feeling gratitude that they were selected by The Living God to be fellow servants with him, they believed that they deserved special favors! They were Cinderfellows who wanted to be Princes! That is tacky!

Many of us are tacky! As Christians we were given a free gift:

Romans 6:23b "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

 This verse says much! What do men DESERVE? Death! What did God GIVE us? Eternal life! Who was gracious enough to be so charitable to die that we might live? Jesus! We were the ones who sinned. We are the ones who deserved punishment. Jesus is the one who was punished for us; but somehow mankind believes that we DESERVE eternal life! That's tacky!!!! That's analogous to the heinous criminal who played charity bingo to reward himself, while expecting to be rewarded for a false act of love! That's tacky!

People deserve only what is theirs; things that they have earned! However, without blessings from God, jobs would not be available, our health isn't guaranteed nor would we be capable of performing the tasks to be paid! We not only owe God for the gift of salvation, but our very existence and livelihood! We owe God big time, but yet, in our pride, we think "I worked hard. I deserve a good life!" What's so ironic about that is that hard workers are motivated and are normally appreciative, while sluggards only imagine that they deserve!

The very ideology of socialism is the I DESERVE mentality because I AM. People, rather than appreciate having, look at what others have, and mistakenly believe that they are entitled to(or DESERVE) the same merely because they exist! They are Cinderfellows and Cinderellas who are wannabe Princes and Princes, albeit without portfolio! Perhaps if those Marxist-minded sluggards would take up their nets and fish, then they might receive the GIFT of God's blessings; and while they're mending those nets, it would do no harm to follow Jesus! To EXPECT things is TACKY when the things belong to others.