Everyone of us as children at some point blurted these words, "It's not fair." I once believed that it was because children have a natural sense of fairness. The older I get, the more I realize that it is not a product of a heightened sense of fairness. Rather it is the sinful response of a selfish heart. That which is perceived to be unfair directly relates to an inborn belief that I deserve better than I am receiving.
In a sermon last night, I asked two questions of our church family related to the subject of fairness.
1. What does it say about us that we never admit that it is not fair when good things happen to us? The only time I tend to complain about life not being fair occurs when bad things happen in my life. Doesn't the reverse hold true as well? When positive things happen in my life that don't also happen to all those around me, shouldn't I also note that life is unfair? Ah but this reveals the problem. I am not really concerned that life actually be fair as long as it is unfair to my advantage.
2. What does it say about us when I complain about fairness when bad things happen in my life? Most of us don't take the time to actually analyse what is going on in our hearts at that moment. It is a dark thing for what I am actually saying at that moment is, "I'm better than this. I deserve more." This reveals a basic misunderstanding in the human heart. We have been told for so long that we are essentially good people, that we have believed that lie and come to expect that we deserve better than we receive. The actual truth from the Bible is that we are all sinners who deserve nothing better than God's eternal wrath. If I got exactly what I deserved today, I would be in hell forever.
That brings us to where any discussion on fairness must come. Life is unfair. However, it is not unfair in the sense that most people believe. If you are living and breathing right now, life has been totally unfair to your advantage. If you are a child of God through faith alone in Christ alone, then life has been particularly unfair to your benefit. You see God laid on Christ the punishment I deserved so that I might possess the eternal life that Jesus deserved. Life's unfair. Praise God.
In a sermon last night, I asked two questions of our church family related to the subject of fairness.
1. What does it say about us that we never admit that it is not fair when good things happen to us? The only time I tend to complain about life not being fair occurs when bad things happen in my life. Doesn't the reverse hold true as well? When positive things happen in my life that don't also happen to all those around me, shouldn't I also note that life is unfair? Ah but this reveals the problem. I am not really concerned that life actually be fair as long as it is unfair to my advantage.
2. What does it say about us when I complain about fairness when bad things happen in my life? Most of us don't take the time to actually analyse what is going on in our hearts at that moment. It is a dark thing for what I am actually saying at that moment is, "I'm better than this. I deserve more." This reveals a basic misunderstanding in the human heart. We have been told for so long that we are essentially good people, that we have believed that lie and come to expect that we deserve better than we receive. The actual truth from the Bible is that we are all sinners who deserve nothing better than God's eternal wrath. If I got exactly what I deserved today, I would be in hell forever.
That brings us to where any discussion on fairness must come. Life is unfair. However, it is not unfair in the sense that most people believe. If you are living and breathing right now, life has been totally unfair to your advantage. If you are a child of God through faith alone in Christ alone, then life has been particularly unfair to your benefit. You see God laid on Christ the punishment I deserved so that I might possess the eternal life that Jesus deserved. Life's unfair. Praise God.
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