Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Life's Not Fair"
Jun. 13, 2018
For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
~ 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
Last year I received two letters. The first, from a man, jokingly said, "Life's not fair for us men. When we're born, our mothers get the compliments, the presents, and the flowers. When we're married, our brides get the gifts and the showers. On Mother's Day, they get items which were not picked up at the last minute from the drug store. When we die, our widows get our life insurance. Life's not fair, when are we men going to get what's coming to us?"
That was a fun letter. The second has a far different tone. This lady wrote, "Five months ago, my husband and I were divorced. He never told me exactly why we were splitting up. He just mumbled something about 'growing apart.' Now he's running around with a girl who is half his age. Me, I get to pay the bills, do the laundry, clean up after sick kids, help them with their homework, and consider going to McDonald's a night 'out on the town.' I love my kids, but it seems to me life's not fair."
Go to a family and talk to the older kids. They'll tell you life's not fair. After all, their younger siblings get away with all kinds of stuff for which they were punished. Visit with the younger children, and they'll say their older brothers and sisters get to stay up later, take the car, go to parties, and do a host of things which seem a lifetime away for them. Both groups agree: "Life's not fair!"
Talk to the older folks, and they'll tell you the younger generation doesn't understand what it really means to work for a living. Speak to the younger folks, and they'll let you know it's unjust for them to pay Social Security when the statistics say the system will be broken before they're old enough to reap the benefits.
Life's unfair. Did you ever get a speeding ticket when, just two minutes before, a fellow blazed past you? Have you been let go at work when more likely candidates were not only kept, but actually promoted? Did Aunt Hortense divide the bulk of her sizable estate between her cat and the mechanic who worked on her car?
You may be surprised to find out that Scripture isn't going to argue with you if you feel life is unfair.
In fact, Scripture points to the greatest unfairness of all: the passion, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ. Born sinless, He perfectly fulfilled all of the Heavenly Father's Laws. He loved every individual and refused to return evil for evil. In spite of all of Jesus' goodness, He was insulted, lied about, betrayed, deserted, spit upon, beaten, and nailed to a cross where He died, forgiving the people who had placed Him there.
It wasn't fair, but upon that unfairness the Lord has built the plan of salvation which rescues sinners from the fires of hell, the clutches of sin, Satan, and death. For the miracle of using a great unfairness to rescue lost souls, we praise the Lord.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, truly Your wisdom is beyond us -- Your caring and compassion past our comprehension. May we always give thanks for the Savior who suffered every unfairness, so we might be saved by grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Last year I received two letters. The first, from a man, jokingly said, "Life's not fair for us men..."
No comments:
Post a Comment