"And yet Israel keeps on whining, 'That's not fair! God's not fair.' "I'm not fair, Israel? You're the ones who aren't fair. [Ezekiel 18:29 The Message]
“It’s not fair!” Oh my, how many times have we heard that? I have an advantage when it comes to pastoring; God blessed Glenda and me with wonderful children; twin boys and a daughter! When we were driving down the road in the minivan and would have to resolve issues by taking something away from one or the other to stop them from hitting each other with it only to hear the shriek cries of; “that’s not fair”, and then answering with the most common answer ever given to kids from parents: “Life is not fair.” I had no idea then that God was preparing (priming) me for the pastorate!
While standing at the graveside committing the body of the infant child and looking upon the wrenched faces of the young parents I have said it. Sitting in the hospital room watching the dear old Saint that had lived his life for Christ struggle to inhale his next breath I have said it. Watching in Scripture as a thieving murderer was released and an innocent Savoir was condemned to die I have said it. You have said it too. At times when it seemed it was the right or perhaps the only thing to say. “Why do I have cancer and the dope head down the street does not?” “Why did my mom end up with Alzheimer’s and the grumpy old cuss across the street has a good mind at ninety five?” “Why did my child have to die and others are allowed to kill theirs by abortion?” Yeah, you’ve said it; or at least thought it. God knows what is fair. He invented fair. Fair to God is so important that He gave His only begotten Son for it. It is not fair that you and I should be held accountable for the sin of Adam and Eve. It is not fair that we should have to pay for our sin because our two, irresponsible ancestors, failed to obey God. Therefore God made it right. He took their sin, and ours, upon Himself. He turned the curse of death into a transition of life; eternal life. Are we grateful for it? Do we treat Him fair by accepting His offer of redemption? Do we treat Him fair by trusting Him in every aspect, every moment, every event, every tragedy, and every stage of our life? Do we treat Him fair when we feel He is not treating us fair? Ouch! Being treated fair does not mean we will be treated equal. Jesus went to the Cross and was abandoned and left to suffer and die on it by God. He did it so that we would not ever have to be abandoned by God. I don’t know about you, but I think that was pretty doggone fair.
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