Let’s introduce a new phrase: self-righteous entitlement. This is when people believe they’re owed rights that simply don’t exist, and worse, they wrap their demand in a cloak of moral superiority. It shows up in everyday life. A parent insists their child deserves playing time on a sports team even if they aren’t good enough, because the parent volunteers or simply “deserve” it. That’s not fairness, but rather favoritism justified by entitlement. The underlying message is that rules and standards are fine for everyone else, but not for an individual convinced his/her felt-righteousness demands an exception. Left unchecked, this mindset corrodes trust, breaks down order, and undermines the very foundation of accountability.
We see this spirit in people who believe their “rights” place them above rules. It might be individuals ignoring policies at work because they think rules don’t apply to them, or politicians who assume their personal cause gives them immunity. The danger multiplies when leaders in positions of power justify nearly anything by claiming moral authority. John Locke, one of the key thinkers behind the concept of civil society, taught that people agree to give up certain liberties in order to protect themselves and others from the lawless. Government’s role is to preserve life and liberty by restraining chaos and lawlessness. When leaders act as though their cause justifies stepping outside the law, they flip Locke’s principle on its head and invite disorder. People see it as justification of violence and bullying if they don’t get what they want.
There are many examples, like what we are seeing in places like Washington, DC, where officials and activists fight against law and order under the banner of “rights.” Defund-the-police efforts, releasing murderers and other violent offenders, and resistance to restoring accountability are all justified by claims of moral high ground. Globally, we see it in the defense of terrorist groups like Hamas, which cloak murderous acts under the false flag of “Palestinian rights.” Statehood never granted, laws of war ignored, civilians targeted, even promotion of genocide against an entire people—yet some Western leaders and activists still insist these acts are justified. That is self-righteous entitlement at its deadliest: demanding rights that do not exist while stripping away the rights of others to live in peace and security.
Proverbs12:15 reminds us, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” Self-righteous entitlement is folly disguised as wisdom. It convinces people they’re morally justified when they’re actually tearing down order and trampling the rights of others. When individuals, parents, politicians, or entire movements believe their imagined rights are higher than the rules, chaos follows. The true test of character isn’t demanding exceptions, it’s submitting to standards for the greater good, doing what is right in the eyes of God. Our nation doesn’t need more people grasping for phantom rights. We need leaders and citizens willing to lay aside entitlement for the sake of love, truth, honor and justice. That is the path of wisdom, and the only path that preserves freedom rather than destroying it.
