Why “Fair” Would Break Us
Read The Daily:
“The last will be first, and the first will be last.” – Matthew 20:16
If you have kids, then you know that they spend so much of their lives growing up saying, “but, that’s not fair!” The problem is that their scale of fair compared to most parents is not even realistic. It’s not good parenting and you’d probably never hear this on a Focus on the Family episode, but I had a little trick when my kids would complain something wasn’t fair. I would keep them talking and every time they said the word “my” I’d remind them that wasn’t even theirs. For example, “well in MY room” and I’d stop them and say “you mean, MY room?” It’s MY house, MY food, MY gas…you get the picture. I was always incredibly grateful to give my kids several things, but if we are talking fair, they didn’t earn or deserve what I gave them…I wanted to give them all those things and more because I love my kids. Hopefully in our home they understood that things were not fair at all, they were way better.
We spend so much energy wishing life was fair. But do we really want that? If God gave us exactly what we deserved, none of us would stand a chance.
Fair says: you reap what you sow. Grace says: you reap what Jesus sowed. Fair gives me the life I’ve earned. Grace gives me the life He’s earned. And that changes everything.
So maybe the best news you’ll hear today is this: God isn’t fair. He’s better. Which means you can stop obsessing over whether you’re keeping up, measuring up, or catching up. Grace is already more than fair—it’s outrageously good.
Prayer for the Day
God what are you showing me? What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.
Read The New Testament In A Year
But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!” But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!” After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!” “No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted. About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.” Luke 22:47-62
This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus. I am writing to Timothy, my dear son. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again. I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:1-7