“Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received? But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Privilege is two-fold, and the connotation comes with how you use it. The positive way is using it to mean granted as a special gift or honor. For example: The new driver had the privilege of receiving a new car as her gift for passing her driver’s test. However, in today’s day and age, we often hear it as the negative – a special right or advantage given to only a certain person or group. The latter is the topic for today.

If you’re like me, you LOATHE people who act privileged. I’m not talking about hierarchy, but rather the treatment of people. In my many years of working in service of others, I have found that those who are raised to think they’re “God’s greatest gift to the world”, as the turn of phrase goes, are the most frustrating. They are difficult and only want what they want, when they want it. How can we combat that anger and frustration? Often we’d be told to “be nice” and “Jesus practiced patience, so you must.” Frankly, that just makes the situation more annoying. We all know not everyone is the same, all born into different situations, etc. We are told to embrace and understand, but never HOW to do this. Let’s dive in…

So, take the above quote: “Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received? But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it?” This is from St. Paul, speaking to the people of Corinth. It’s the finale of a long exhortation (aka lecture or sermon) on divisions. Here Paul asks why they are acting like they have already attained the glory they are due, as if they have received it just for being them. To feel like this requires an attitude of pride and self-deception. We are special because we are from Corinth or from a certain family or live in a certain area.

Consider another discourse from St. Paul, this time to the Ephesians. In this letter Paul addresses the Church as a whole. Although he’s specifically addressing the letters to the people of Ephesus in Asia Minor, they are to everyone, sometimes the Gentiles, other times specifically the Ephesians, etc. In Chapter 2, St. Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) Paul is reminding them of how their lives have changed, reminding them how different life is now that they have been forgiven and cleansed of their sinful past. He tells us that our redemption and salvation is done this way – through a gift from God and not by their own works. It is a free gift that we can CHOOSE how we use it. However, we are not to boast and be arrogant, but rather use this second chance to be Christ-like and bring others to Christ.

Privilege and division are related to one another. Division comes from the mind, just as the questions above in the letters to the Corinthians assert. Boasting about our being better is not how to use the gifts God has given us, per the letter to the Ephesians. Privilege is the same thing. It is a self-inflicted mental state that is often passed down from others important in your life, creating a mindset that “I” am better than “you” because “I’m me”. No one is born feeling this way. Paul explains that Gentiles and Jews have now come together as one, all redeemed by the same Christ. We are one – no matter our ethnicity, background, tax bracket. We create division and arrogance on our own. This lifestyle is perpetuated from the devil. When we begin to treat others with disrespect because of privilege, we are doing what the devil wants. The devil does not rule from hell, but rather the space between heaven and earth. He wants there to be this division, where we look down on others with contempt, as if others are “beneath us.” So, now that we realize this and see that privilege has always caused some issue on earth, what can we do to battle it and be better?

First, we need to realize that no one gets into heaven solely on the idea that they are a little better than someone else. Consider two prostitutes. (Chosen specifically with the idea that Christ knew, dined with, and saved prostitutes during his time on earth.) Let’s say one has obtained more money for their services than the other for whatever reason. If he/she is going to heaven, it will not be because he/she made more money than the other. He/She needs to renounce his/her sin and live humbly, striving to be like Christ. If we remember that, it is easier to swallow. 

Second, we must have hope. We are all going to find Christ at our own time, in our own way. Some do it early, while others need a major life crisis to see the Light. However, we need to have hope and faith in these people that they will, like St. Augustine and Saul turned St. Paul, be converted and live for Christ for the rest of their days. People are innately good. It is the outside influences of society, specifically the devil, that turns people not so.

Third, recognize where you lack. What is your “disability”? This is not a practice of self-flagellation. We need to recognize where our strengths and weaknesses are in every part of our lives. None of us are perfect, so we all must lack in some area, be it patience, forgiveness, charity, etc. Often when someone is unkind to another, it is more a reflection of them than you. So, before we are frustrated and snip at this difficult person, take a look at where we are struggling; what makes us imperfect?

Lastly, PRAYER. I realize that so many people find prayer to be a cheap, easy, get-out-of-jail-free card. The whole idea of sending prayers when someone is hurting has become more of a mocked sound bite in mainstream society than the honest, necessary, and kind gesture that it truly is. However, I’ve always taught that prayer doesn’t mean saying the rosary every day or kneeling down at your bed at night saying the traditional prayers. (Not that there’s anything wrong with either option!) You can pray anywhere, in any way. All you need to do is ask God to be there, present in that moment. A simple, “God give me the strength” as you’re working next to a difficult co-worker allows Him to be present in that situation, allowing him to give you whatever gift you need to help you through it.

We all have a standard that we are striving for. We all want to be in heaven, to be saints, as mentioned in my last blog. But the standard is Jesus. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Those who are disrespectful because of privilege are as imperfect as we are, but in a different way. Our kind and patient actions can help convert them, like the idea of “killing them with kindness”. We can be better, combat the division, by not causing conflict and trying to meet our standard = Christ.