It’s Not Fair!
“It’s not fair” is a response to hard circumstances that we hear all the time. Whether they be single folks or married couples, wage earners or salaried professionals, armchair quarterbacks or the real deal at the Super Bowl, voters at the polling place or elected officials, we have all used that phrase more often than we care to admit. Perhaps you, like me, wonder where this phrase originated. I cannot help but think that it must have originated with the devil himself.
Think about it. God created the heavens and the earth and all life in a beautiful garden called Eden and pronounced everything “good.” God gave Adam and Eve an unlimited number of good options to choose from that would be pleasing to themselves and to God. God only allowed one option for man, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that had any evil in it. I can hear the devil complaining to God on the sixth day of creation, “It’s not fair! What are the odd of man choosing that fruit?”
And then, even when Adam and Eve chose sin – against all odds! – God made a promise of redemption for man and a promise of defeat for the devil. God even made a sacrifice to cover Adam and Eve’s shame. “It’s not fair!” the devil said again.
And after man was condemned from the garden of Eden and living in the sin-cursed world, there was still so much beauty that even “the heavens declare the glory of God.” Even outside the garden, man still had a knowledge for God in his heart. Man also had the ability to worship God righteously, as did Abel. “It’s not fair!” the devil, and now Cain, would quip as Cain chose an inferior sacrifice and selfishly murdered his brother.
And as wicked mankind spread and filled the earth and judgment was about to come, God sent a prophet, Noah by name, to preach righteousness and salvation. Noah made a really big boat, big enough to save 800 people or more. And as the rain started to fall, what did the entire earth’s drowning population say along with the devil as only 8 entered the ark together with two of every animal to be saved? “It’s not fair!”
Fast forward to Jesus of Nazareth being betrayed by one of his 12, rejected by the people He came to save, stripped of his garments, given a crown of thorns, whipped most brutally, forced to carry a cross on which He would be violently murdered. To all of this, Jesus said, “Your will be done.” But who would say, “It’s not fair!” as Jesus rose again in victory over death and sin? Once again, the devil.
And now, Christian, things might not be very pleasant on this kingdom of earth for those who follow Christ. The world hates us as it does Jesus. But we know that God’s kingdom is eternal in the heavens while this worldly kingdom is only for a short while. We know that our sins are forgiven and we are guaranteed everlasting life with Christ. We know that Jesus is coming back again to destroy sin for all eternity. With this knowledge of God and our faith in Christ, maybe we can see that life’s not fair after all. It’s not fair for the devil and all who foolishly join him in rebellion against God.
“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13