Not Fair!

Do you remember stomping your feet and indignantly decrying, "Not fair!", when you were a child.  You probably haven't done that lately.  As adults we tend to control our foot stomping, at least on the outside.  But inside, that little boy or girl in us is stomping away as our adult outside is trying to make a cogent argument for equality.   Although, truth be told, some haven't gotten all that far away from outward foot stomping.

Nonetheless, the fact remains that we often feel that life, our parents, our spouse, our boss, God...is not fair.  Mostly we tend to feel that way when the tables are tipped against us and things aren't going our way.  Sometimes we have to admit that things have been unfairly or unexplainable tipped in our favor.  Generally we're OK with that and don't complain.

But, make no mistake, this little child, fairness barometer is actively checking the equality index moment by moment.  And when it begins to rise, we begin to feel the inward change of equanimity being registered in our childish spirit.

The biblical story of what we call the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32, while teaching the principle of God's love, forgiveness and grace, has a sub-plot of "not fair" from both sides of the spectrum.  The Prodigal, realizing how he has foolishly wasted his early inheritance, knows it would be unfair to except his father to restore his position and instead dreams of returning fairly as a "hired hand" (v. 19) in order to pay back what he squandered.

The older brother, having faithfully but apparently not graciously stayed behind and worked while the younger prodigal went on an extended spending binge, agreed thinking "not fair" at the prospect of the other son returning to his original position.  He would likely have agreed to have him return to work under his control and at his bidding - that would have been fair.

But the Father, dismissing the Prodigal's notion of returning as a second or third class member of the household, who would earn his position; and imploring the older son to set aside his jealousy and rejoice with the return of his brother who "was dead and now is alive again (v. 24), sets fairness on its ear has he very unfairly but very lovingly and graciously restores the Prodigal to his original position.

Both sons are stunned by the Father's decision.  Both were operating under the banner of fairness but the Father operates under the banner of love and "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud...it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs...It always protects..." (1 Cor 13:4-7).  Love does not insist on giving what one deserves but rather offers what is best.

God is not fair.  But aren't you glad he isn't?  Aren't you glad that he offers us what we need instead of what we earned?  Aren't you glad he offers grace from a father's heart instead of justice from a judge's bench?  Aren't you glad God's not fair?  Jus' Ask'n.