Not Fair

 The most commonly utilized phrase around our home has been “It’s not fair!”

Children are definitely experts about monitoring levels of fairness amongst their siblings and peers.  

I’ve read somewhere that behavioral psychologists discovered that children begin to develop an awareness to fair behavior as early as 12 months of age.   

And it’s not just children that demand honesty and fairness. 

As adults, we too, have developed a mature sense, holding others accountable to high standards of fairness. Whether it’s at home, in the community, or in business affairs. We have no problem voicing our discontents when we feel we were short ended on any occasion.   

And there’s really no shame in demanding justice, is there?

To my surprise, the Bible suggests otherwise. 

When we hold others accountable, it’s only fair for God to hold us to the same level of accountability.  

Recently, I ordered a beautiful custom-made gift piece.  When it finally came in, I noticed there was an area that was obviously discolored.  Disappointed, I contacted the retailer.  Shortly after, they responded with an apology however, reported that as per terms and conditions, custom items are final sale and cannot be altered. Now I was upset. As a customer I felt I was wronged.  I contacted them again and said I would dispute payment unless they replaced the item with one that’s not defective.  It was only the right thing to do on their end, so I thought.

However, shortly after it didn’t sit well with me. I felt conviction I couldn’t resist.  In my quiet time, I told God about it.  "I’m not sure why I’m feeling this way",I said.  That’s when I was immediately reminded of a verse I read earlier that week…

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; (Ps. 18:25 NKJV)

It was okay for me to demand justice, when I felt wronged. Yet, because I was demanding it from others, God would have to demand justice from me.  That’s what makes him a fair God, it’s part of his never changing character.  

However, if I was to extend mercy, when wronged, it would only be fair for him to be merciful to me when I fail. 

Jesus told a parable I had difficulty understanding until now.  

It was of an unfaithful manager who mismanaged his master’s estate.  Just prior to his termination, he called all of his master’s debtors and cut their dept repayments in half.  His motive was that when he gets fired, they too will help him sometime in return.  

For a long time, I questioned the moral of this parable. Why was Jesus supporting this manager’s mischievous act?

But it was really his act of mercy, that Jesus wanted to highlight.  He went on to say that even people outside of the faith have figured out that when you show mercy to others it will certainly one day return to you.  

Jesus also shared another parable.  

He began with the kingdom of heaven is like…

It was about a king that had forgiven a debtor a very large debt.  However, this debtor found someone that owed him a very small debt and pressed him to repay the debt or otherwise suffer.  When word of this got to the king, the debtor that refused to forgive his equal the smaller debt, was summoned by the king.  

Notice what the king said,

Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’  In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother… (Matt.18:34 BSB)

 

It made the king a fair judge because he utilized the same standard the debtor expected from his equal. 

He was required to pay the debt in full, because he demanded that others pay their debts in full.

Jesus boldly assures his listeners; the heavenly Father will likewise judge according to the standard you place on others.  

 

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:36-37 BSB)

 

 “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

― C.S. Lewis 

 

 

 Supporting text

There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. (James 2:13)

Do not judge and criticize and condemn[others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.  (Matt. 7:1-2 AMP)