What If It’s Not About Fairness?

People have wrestled with a pervasive question throughout the history of humanity:

“Why is life so unfair?”

A friend once made a profound point about the way we experience our depression whenever we trip over an unpleasant doozie on the road:

“It’s not so much the unfortunate circumstance that causes our depression. It’s the question of ‘Why did this unfortunate circumstance had to happen to me?’ that causes the inner turmoil within us. The circumstance in it of itself is a secondary issue.”

Point taken. So let’s be transparent for a moment—isn’t it true? The very reason why we feel depressed about the ruts we find ourselves in is due to the acknowledgment that the ruts seem to have vindictively chosen us for no particular reason.

“It’s not fair that I’m the one who lost my job.”
“It’s not fair that I’m the one who lost my loved one.”
“It’s not fair that, to this day, I’m the one who’s still single.”
“It’s not fair that I’m the one who had a spouse who was unfaithful.”
“It’s not fair that I’m the one with cancer.”
“It’s not fair that I’m not as intelligent as everyone else.”
“It’s not fair that I’m not as beautiful as everyone else.”

And we constantly ask questions. We’re usually met with very few answers.

There are many questions I could have asked in my own life. When my father passed away in 2004 due to a rejection of the bone marrow transfusion in an effort to treat his leukemia, it was very hard to not ask questions. When certain men in my life had used me simply as an emotional crutch and then disposed of me when they no longer needed me, it was very hard to not ask questions. When I studied my utmost best for my classes and still did not pass, it was very hard to not ask questions. When I was rejected, when I was sick, when I lost my dignity, when I was taken advantage of, all I could think of was, “God. Why me? What did I do to deserve all this?”

And, I guess, you might have considered pouring pity onto me after reading all of that, but please don’t.

God has been so good to me.

Have you ever considered, “Why not me?”

Sin abounds in this world. And the only thing that’s fair about anything is that we shouldn’t and don’t deserve to be alive from the beginning. From the moment Adam and Eve bit into the fruit of the tree of knowledge and became conscious of their nakedness, they and the rest of posterity were cursed.

Separation from God. Sin came into existence. And God cannot and will not tolerate sin.

Disobedience to God has its weighted consequences—not only do they affect you, but like a genetic disorder, they can also affect future generations. So when God tells you not to sin—seriously, don’t go out your way to do it.

But back to the subject at hand. What’s fair? Oh right—death.

Oh, but you realize, as surely as you are reading this blog, you are certain that you are not dead. Isn’t that interesting? You are not dead. At least, not yet. But you are currently existing, when you shouldn’t be existing in the first place.

How did that happen? Oh wait.

Why is life not fair? Because it just simply isn’t—and maybe it’s not supposed to be? This is merely speculation; I’m no expert.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ” (John 3:16-17)

People don’t normally quote verse 17 right after verse 16, but I thought that it’d be appropriate and quite important in this case.

Even though God is a personhood of justice and righteousness, His love and grace is much abundant.

It wasn’t about the condemnation after all. It wasn’t about the sin. He focused on the path of redemption. Even after banishing Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He was the one who still clothed them.

He chose to do the unfair thing at the expense of His own life. What was the unfair thing? He was innocent; we were not. He was the only baby born on this Earth to die, so that the rest of us—who were guilty—could live. Life definitely isn’t about fairness. It never was.

Freewill is a double-edged sword if you think about it. You can choose goodness, or you can choose the opposite. Unfortunately, many people choose the opposite and end up being proponents to the injustice that exists in our world today, whether it be terrorism or world hunger. But Jesus did provide the solution—He gave Himself. If He had true followers, things like terrorism and world hunger would not be a problem today. Love, grace, mercy, self-control, goodness, gentleness, kindness would be prevalent instead. God doesn’t will for us to get sick, but sin is what it is, and we will get sick.

Therefore, blaming God for the troubles of this world is misguided. We need to look at ourselves—we have the choice. God offers the solution. We have to take it. He takes pity upon the orphans and the widows. Whatever we do for the least of these, such as children, God feels that you have done unto Him as well. He came for the sick and the hurting, because as He’s said, it’s not the healthy who need a doctor.

We have a commandment and a commission—to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and to share the love of Jesus. God gave us a brain. God gave us a heart. God gave us resources. Well?

I’m thankful to Jesus that I’m still alive even though I deserve death.
I’m thankful to Jesus that I still have a family.
That I still have a roof over my head, that I still have clothing.
That I have a church community as well as a loving boyfriend.
That I have food to eat.
The list goes on.

Because of His grace—which is inherently unfair—I am still blessed even though I am a sinner. This revelation probably changed my life forever. Bitterness gone, frustration gone, and I am able to live life in a much fuller capacity. And if you’re on the same boat as I am, let’s not be idle. Let’s love and serve those who are still currently hurting. Maybe you don’t feel that you can save everybody, but you can still care for that one person. And that person. And that person. Jesus died for you and me and nothing we do will ever measure up to what He’s done for us, in spite of our iniquities.

It’s not about fairness.

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