Recently, I really enjoyed the experience of sitting with my grandkids and watching the original (Gene Wilder version) of Willy Wonker and The Chocolate Factory. It's been a favorite of mine for a very long time but especially as I've increased my understanding of the relationship between humility and grace as a Christian. How much do we appreciate the amazing gift that it is to be a child of God?
Yes, Willy Wonker can tell us something about humility and grace. It comes from the great contrast between Veruka Salt and Charlie; two of the children who win a golden ticket to tour Willy Wonker's mysterious chocolate factory. Charlie walks in amazement taking in all the wonder of the incredible gift he has been given. Veruca walks seemingly unimpressed with no real sense of wonder. Her sense of entitlement motivates her demand for her father to buy her everything she wants - and she wants it NOW. The contrast between Charlie and Veruca gives a beautiful description to Christians about how we view the ultimate prize of our lives. Unfortunately, too many of us are influenced by the Veruca inside.
In Genesis 15, God told Abram that he would be his shield and very great reward. Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." These words to Abram are no less relevant to Christians today. As we live in this world that is ruined by the fall, we know that our lives will come to an end, our struggles are real, and the temptations around us are many. Our experience in this world is temporary, but God is far greater and everlasting. Our reward in and through Christ is greater than everything this world has to offer. And here is where Veruca Salt steps into our lives.
So often we live in this world with expectancy and entitlement that can only see what we want right in front of our face. We have our own definition of what is good and we want to treat God like a genie to grant our every wish. Even Christians can focus on our immediate circumstances with an attitude of entitlement and find ourselves disappointed in our God who does not instantly meet our demands. We think we deserve better and become bitter when we do get it. We want what we want, and we want it now.
By contrast, God has revealed some amazing truth to us in his word. We actually have no right to feel entitled in any way in this world. Charlie is our great contrast with Veruca in that he realized that there was no reason he should be in that factory. He came from the poorest estate even obtaining his ticket through no merit of his own. It was in the humility of his stature that he saw the wonder of the gift he had been given. (And then came my clumsy attempt at explaining that to my grandkids).
Christians have an entitlement attitude when we forget our hopeless positions as sinners who deserve the eternal wrath of our infinitely powerful and righteous God. As those outside of Christ, we only have one entitlement - hell. When we do remind ourselves of the true humility of our position before God, we can see the true wonder of his gift. Through his redeeming work of the cross, God has given us himself. HE is our greatest reward beyond all other glorious benefits we will receive for all eternity. This is the statement he made to Abram - I am your shield, your reward shall be very great. And Abram believed it.
The Veruca inside of us can blind us to the wonder of our reward in Christ himself. She tells us that Jesus is not enough, and that God is not doing right by you when he does not give you what you want most in the here and now. She tells us that we individually define what is most glorious and beautiful for our lives.
Charlie tells you that God's truth can be believed. You don't deserve him. You don't deserve anything but the eternal poverty of your situation before him. Charlie tells you to look beyond the present and deny your false idea of entitlement. He tells you that your reward is found to be more beautiful when you look at it from the humblest of positions. Humility and grace go together.
Veruca ended up falling into the pile of bad eggs. Charlie got the whole factory. In Christ alone we have an entitlement worth more than anything else in this world. John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.