Sunday devotional, 1/27/13
When growing up there may have been times that things did not seem to be fair. Sometimes it might have been with siblings, and seemingly different punishments meted out by parents for the same infraction. Other times it may have been at school with different repercussions for similar actions by different students. Perhaps it was life in general, like when we wonder why life seems to pile up so many difficulties for some of us, but others seem to have a perfectly fine life, even when they appear to be undeserving of it. There are injustices throughout the world, like when an innocent child suffers abuse that has repercussions their entire life, but the perpetrator seems to always get away with everything and enjoys their life. How can things be so unfair?
You are always righteous, O Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? Jeremiah 12:1 NIV
Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. One child's infraction may have been a little different; the exact circumstances may differ, or each child may respond differently to different consequences making it appropriate for differences in the responses of parents or school authorities. When life seems unfair, we have to remember we cannot see everything clearly. We can only know our own experiences. What others suffer inside is hidden at least partially. Our view is colored by our own perceptions based on our own experiences and knowledge. When other people's lives seem good, they might actually be tormented in ways unseen. And even if not, there may be future consequences awaiting them. It is not up to us to determine that. God will. Our job is only to remain faithful to God and do what he desires of us.
Holding a resentment over what has happened can be devastating. It does not change what happened, nor does it punish anyone but yourself when you hang on to it. The same goes for withholding forgiveness. Forgiveness does not reward the bad behavior, nor does withholding it punish anyone but ourselves by torturing our minds, replaying the memories and feeling repeatedly wronged in our heads. Earthly infractions result in earthly consequences and that is still acceptable by the appropriate authorities. But personal resentment and withholding forgiveness is a separate issue. It may be a difficult struggle for us to let things go, and we may need to go through other stages of grief first, but it is possible with the help of God through prayer.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 NIV
Finally, it is important to remember that if everything were perfectly fair, we would not be able to enter heaven either. Thank God he is NOT fair - or we would be dead in our trespasses. We could never earn our own way into heaven because none of us are perfect. None of us actually deserves salvation on our own because we all sin. In fact, it took the completely unfair act of the one perfect human being and only Son of God being sacrificed on the cross in our place to earn us the right to live eternally in bliss with him at the end of our life on earth. How unfair was that? How much more unfair could anything be than the death sentence of your only child who was innocent in order to reward the guilty parties? And it does not matter whether we have lived our entire life following Christ, or we accept him as our Savior on our death bed after an entire life of rejecting him and committing horrible offenses. Unfair? Just remember, it is unfair for any of us to receive forgiveness and eternal life - it is an undeserved gift from God to each one of us.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3 NIV
Just like Jesus said in the parable of the vineyard workers - or the unfair Master - those hired at the beginning of the day and those hired at the last hour, all received the same pay:
“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:13-16 NIV
Thank you God for being so lovingly unfair! Help me to remember these things and to be forgiving to others who have wronged me, just as you have forgiven me over and over every day. Help me to release my resentments and to lean on your love. Help me in this way to be a witness to others of your "loving unfairness" and forgiveness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
written by Jan Andersen
Thank you Jan, for putting this so elequently. I've always said to my teenagers, "If life were fair, we'd all be going to hell." But teenagers need things put to them rather bluntly in order to be impacting. Most people would prefer your approach :)
ReplyDeleteAmie
Thank you Jan, for putting this so elequently. I've always said to my teenagers, "If life were fair, we'd all be going to hell." But teenagers need things put to them rather bluntly in order to be impacting. Most people would prefer your approach :)
ReplyDeleteAmie