Spiritual Cruisers

I love to cruise.  I think I've been on at least 10 different cruises.  If you've never been on a cruise, I'd love to tell you all about it.  

People are waiting to serve you all day long.  It's amazing!

Your bed is made, your bathroom is cleaned, your garbage is removed from your room, your supplies are replenished, your food is prepared, the whole cruise ship is maintained and kept clean just for you, even your bed is turned down each night.  They even provide entertainment and learning opportunities.

It's a good life.

Cruising is the average person's opportunity to be served and pampered while you sit back and enjoy the ride.  

It's a lifestyle that this girl adjusts to flawlessly while cruising.  

The idea that the whole world is here to serve me is obviously crazy, but when I'm on a cruise, it certainly seems that way.

When Believers move that cruise mentality into the church and get the idea that others are here only to serve us, that's where the problem lies.  

You may be a "Spiritual Cruiser" if you've had some of these thoughts.

• Why didn't anyone greet me today?  This isn't a very friendly church.  
• Or when we see the children's pastor approaching with a smile, and think she better not ask me to help in the nursery.  My kids are all grown.  I've had my turn.
• Or the youth pastor is always an easy target when our children are struggling spiritually.  He's the first person to blame when they don't want to go to church.  He should have shown more interest in them.  
• Or when we're stuck at home during a pandemic and say, "No one has called me to check on me.  I don't think they care about me on this cruise.  I mean at this church."  (That's a lot of 'ME's'.) 

Spiritual cruiser beware!  

An air of church entitlement will rob you of spiritual blessings.

In Mark 10:45 (LEB), Jesus gives us His take on spiritual entitlement.

"For even the Son of Man did not come 

to be served, but to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Don't be a spiritual cruiser, expecting to be served by others, but be like Christ and serve others.  

I have heard my husband say many times, "We are never more like Christ than when we are serving others."