Being Chuck

“My Rights”

There’s something I’ve been mulling over. It’s this one small section from the book “The Shack.” This one section of the book sparked a chain of thoughts for me. I’ve had several different conversations about it.

If you have the same paperback I do, turn to page 136. Here Mack (the main character, or at least one of them depending on how you view the book) is having a conversation with Sarayu (The Holy Spirit/God) that culminates in a wonderful debate (however one-sided it may be) about rights.

-Quoted from “The Shack”-

“Mackenzie, evil is a word we use to describe the absence of Good, just as we use the word darkness to describe the absecnce of Light or death to describe the absence of Life. Both evil and darkness can only be understood in relation to Light and Good; they do not have an actual existence. I am Light and I am Good. I am Love and there is no darkness in me. Light and Good actually exist. So, removing yourself from me will plunge you into darkness. Declaring independence from me will result in evil because apart from me, you can only draw upon yourself. That is death because you have separated yourself from Me: Life.”

“Wow,” Mack exclaimed, sitting back for a moment. “That really helps. But, I can also see that my independent right is not going to be an easy process. It could mean that…”

Sarayu interrupted his sentence, “… that in one instance the good may be the presence of cancer or loss of income–or even a life.”

Yeah, but tell that to the person with cancer or the father whose daughter is dead,” Mack postured, a little more sarcastically than he had intended.

“Oh, Mackenzie,” reassured Sarayu. “Don’t you think we have them in mind as well? Each of them was the center of another story that is untold.”

“But,”Mack could feel his control getting away as he drove his shovel in hard, “didn’t Missy have a right to be protected?”

“No, Mack. A child is protected because she is loved, not because she has a right to be protected.”

That stopped him. Somehow what Sarayu had just been saying seemed to turn the whole world upside down, and he was struggling to find some footing. Surely there were some rights he could legitimately hold on to.

“But what about…”

“Rights are where survivors go, so that they won’t have to work out relationships,” she cut in.

“But if I gave up…”

“Then you would begin to know the wonder and adventure of living in me,” she interrupted him again.

Mack was getting frustrated. He spoke louder, “But don’t I have the right to…”

“To complete a sentence without being interrupted? No, you don’t. Not in reality. But as long as you think you do, you will surely get ticked off when someone cuts you off, even if it is God.”

He was stunned and stood up, staring at her, not knowing whether to rage or laugh. Sarayu smiled at him. “Mackenzie, Jesus didn’t hold on to any rights; He willingly became a servant and lives out of His relationship with Papa. He gave up everything, so that by His dependent life he opened a door that would allow you to live freely enough to give up your rights.”

-End quote-

And this is what I started thinking about:

Do I really have any rights? My immediate response to this small part of the book was irritation. Of course I have rights. Everybody has rights. I’m a human. All humans have rights. I’m an American. All Americans are guaranteed rights. It’s what the country was founded on.

And while these are all very normal, very rational, very American thoughts to have, I’m not sure they’re Biblical.

I realize that this is going to draw the ire of a few patriots, but I request that you keep reading. This is something I’ve been mulling over since I read the book. Like I said above, I’ve had several conversations with guys I consider much wiser than myself, and I’m still pretty confident in my deduction to this point, but I want to process through this on a larger scale.

Where does the phrase “my rights” come from? What makes me want/need rights? Why do I feel like I deserve them?

The answer is: PRIDE.

Pride (and perhaps misplaced trust) is what motivates a desire for “rights.” The idea that I deserve to be treated a certain way (OR that I deserve to be able to say what I want OR do what I want OR even defend myself) because I was born in a certain country (or even because I exist as a human) isn’t Biblical.

We are called to treat others with respect. We are called to speak with love. We are called to defend the weak. But we are never told we have “rights.”

And this is exceptionally counter-cultural.

It’s hard as an American to swallow this completely. But if I take a look at my standing, my place in the cosmos, I don’t deserve anything good. I don’t deserve rights. And any thoughts [see: confusion] I have to the contrary come from pride.

And here comes another statement sure to draw a few barbs:

Pride is always a bad thing. Pride comes from one place and one place only. [See: Isaiah 14:12-15]

I don’t really have any rights.

But if I don’t have rights won’t people take advantage of me?

I think this is where the misplaced trust comes in. Rights are man-made. Therefore, they are fallible. This system of rights didn’t come from God. It came from men (who had good intentions, but…) who didn’t really trust in God to take care of them.

Putting trust in man-made things = bad idea.

However, if I really trust God when He says He’ll care for me, when He says He’ll give me everything I need, then what need do I have of rights? I have none. They’re nice. I appreciate them. But if I truly place my hope and trust in God and God alone, rights are unnecessary. Rights aren’t Biblical. God didn’t give us rights.

And I believe that when Jesus said things like he did below:

-Matthew 5: 38-48

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^[g] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[h] and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies^[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

-End Matthew 5-

When He said things like that, He is clearly asking us to let go of “our rights” and show love where it seems ludicrous to do so.

I’ll leave this open for discussion. I’m interested to hear some other opinions on this.

But I want to drop one more passage in here:

-Philippians 2-

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

-End Philippians 2-

Jesus [see: Creator of the universe, God] was willing to give up His actual rights to become a man, show us the way to live, and cover our sin with his gruesome death.

When it comes to “my rights,” who do I think I am? If I truly rest in His grace, if I really trust Him as my Lord and Savior, then I have no need for rights.

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