2 Kings 5:11 – But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “I was telling myself: He will surely come out, stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and will wave his hand over the spot and cure the skin disease. (HCSB)

My teacher friend and I were sharing coffee and memories when a story came up about the daughter of the school superintendent. Her classroom behavior resulted in numerous reprimands but no positive results so the teacher called the principal to step in. The daughter’s response was “Do you know who I am?”.  She had a sense of entitlement because of her last name and demanded her father be called, but that phone call did not bring the response she had planned. 2 Kings 5 tells us Naaman also had a sense of entitlement and left angry because Elisha did not respond the way he had planned. I picture him stomping away, muttering “Doesn’t he know who I am?” then adding complaints about a small and dirty river, about Elisha sending a servant, about being treated as an average man. As believers we read about Naaman and shake our heads as his expected special treatment, but sometimes we have that same attitude with God. Why doesn’t He protect me from all hardships, illnesses, and unhappy situations? Doesn’t He know I am a faithful follower? I sing the church songs asking Him to test and try me, even closing my eyes in worship and raising my hands in praise but fully expect Him to acknowledge my praise not my petition. I recite God’s command to go into all the world (Mark 16:15) and faithfully make it as far as my own church building. I boldly answer Jesus’ call to love my neighbor (Mark 12:31) by loving on the person sitting beside me in the pew – not the crying woman, the other one with the highlighted Bible and the Beth Moore study book. Naaman’s sense of entitlement left no impression on Elisha but my sense of entitlement must grieve God’s heart. God owes me nothing but gave me eternal life. I am entitled to nothing but carry the title Child of the King. Do you know who I am? I am a sinner saved by God’s grace.