It’s Not Fair

The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?” As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.”

Ezekiel 18:1-4

My children used to complain, “Dad, it’s not fair!” My response was, “You’re right. But then, God never promised that life would be fair.”

In our Bible reading for today, God’s children were complaining things weren’t fair. The gist of their complaint was that their ancestors had done sinful things, and now they were having to bear the consequences. It wasn’t fair. Rather than take responsibility for their own sinful actions and spiritual failures; they blamed their parents, grandparents, and ancestors.

How easy it is in life to slip into similar thinking. “My parents were terrible.” “My spouse totally mistreated me.” “I don’t deserve the treatment I’m getting; I’m better than that.” Then we are tempted to finish those sentences with, “It’s not fair, and it’s not my fault.”

God’s answer is succinct: “Every living soul belongs to me.” Our responsibility isn’t to make excuses about our circumstances in life. Rather, we are to serve God to the best of our ability in the situation into which we have been placed.

God made you exactly who he wanted you to be for your eternal good and the eternal good of others. God guides you through life’s good times and its unfairness so that you learn to rely on him more and more. Sometimes life is not easy or much fun. But through it all, God has claimed you as his own, bought at the price of Jesus’ own blood.

God never promised that life would be fair. Instead, he promised that he would keep on loving us and forgiving us through Jesus. That’s fair enough for me!

Prayer:

God, strengthen me to deal with life’s unfairness. Focus my attention on your love, always reminding me that you have graciously made me to be your own. Amen.