Depends on who you ask.
Ask the defendant in a civil case (right after they lost) and they will definitely say, “That’s not fair!”
On the other hand, the one who brought the suit and won will fell entirely different about the outcome. “What are you talking about? Of course it was fair!”
So it seems “fair” is largely a matter of perspective for most of us. But is there a more objective way to determine what is fair? Because, as I asserted in part one of this little series (click here to read Part One), most of us are operating with broken fairness filters.
Is there a functioning filter out there anywhere?
Is there a standard that does not change?
A benchmark?
A completely fair person?
You probably guessed by now (reading a pastor’s blog) that I believe there is. And this person is Jesus.
He’s fair because He never changes. The benchmark never moves because it’s perfect to begin with so where’s it gonna go from there?
Exactly.
Here’s what scripture says about it,
The LORD your God is more powerful than all other gods and lords, and his tremendous power is to be feared. His decisions are always fair, and you cannot bribe him to change his mind. Deut. 10:17 (CEV)
Listen, Heavens, I have something to tell you. Attention, Earth, I’ve got a mouth full of words. My teaching, let it fall like a gentle rain, my words arrive like morning dew, Like a sprinkling rain on new grass, like spring showers on the garden. For it’s God’s Name I’m preaching— respond to the greatness of our God! The Rock: His works are perfect, and the way he works is fair and just; A God you can depend upon, no exceptions, a straight-arrow God. His messed-up, mixed-up children, his non-children, throw mud at him but none of it sticks. Deuteronomy 32:1 (The Message)
God is always fair! He knows what the wicked do and will punish them. Proverbs 21:12
If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? Romans 3:6
Since it is impossible for God to be anything other than fair, anything other than what He desires is unfair.
Pretty simple, huh?
So the next time you gear up to cry, “That’s not fair!” Try this instead…
“That doesn’t seem fair!”
Then stop and consider why. Is it something outside of God’s will?
Did you simply not get what you wanted?
What you feel you had coming to you?
What is only fair?
Careful, you’re on a slippery slope. Here’s what a pastor once said that might just stop you in your tracks.
“You want what’s fair? What you have coming to you?
Life’s not fair.
Hell is.”
P.S. Remember that the gospel will go out this Sunday and you need to invite anyone and everyone who does not know Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. You can make it easy by using an evite. Click here for a Weddington evite and here for a Monroe campus e-vite.
See you all there!