Is Life Fair?

by: Gary L. Hutchens

​   We hear a lot of talk about fairness these days.  Is it fair that some people are wealthy while others are poor?  Is it fair that some families have two or three cars in their driveway while others cannot afford even one car?  Is it fair that some individuals have a great, high-salary job while others cannot find a job?  Is it fair that some people own a huge, fancy home while others will probably never be able to buy even a tiny home of their own?

​   Let’s get away from material things and consider other aspects of life.  Is it fair that some people hardly ever get sick while others live with chronic illness most of their lives?  Is it fair that one person has a strong physical body while someone else is confined to a wheel chair?  Is it fair that one person can enjoy the beauties of nature while another person is born blind?  Is it fair that one person has full use of his faculties while another person is mentally handicapped to some degree?  Is it fair that one person develops cancer and another person does not?
   How is fairness determined?  In so many cases it’s a matter of personal interpretation based largely upon subjective reasoning.  One’s determination of what constitutes fairness is based upon circumstances confronting him in his personal life at that particular moment in time.  Some people would equate fairness with some degree of equality.  But equal on what basis?  Not everybody has the same intellectual prowess.  Not everybody has the same physical abilities (professional athletes are an example).  Not everybody has the same opportunities.  But even more important to this whole issue, not everybody acts as responsibly as they could in regards to the opportunities before them.
   Some people complain about having no money, but they don’t care to work a regular job, or take a second job, to earn more money.  Some people complain about the condition of their home, but they do little to try to improve that condition.  Some people complain about not having the opportunities they desire, but they do little or nothing to prepare themselves to better seek out and take advantage of those opportunities.
   The ugly truth is that a significant percentage of people believe that just because they exist they deserve, and are entitled to, many things that most everybody else recognizes they have to work for.  They believe society owes them…  That is an ungodly attitude that destines a person to continued failure (2 Thess. 3:10-12).
   Life in this world is tough and always will be.  Man has been required to work for a living from the beginning (Gen. 2:15), and the reality is that his work will be hard and not always fully productive (Gen. 3:17-19).  Yet the Lord has promised to be with the person who faithfully serves Him (Matt. 28:20).  The apostle Paul learned that the secret to dealing effectively with life, whether things are good or tough, is to take strength in our relationship with Christ (Phlp. 4:11-13).
   If you are not faithfully and obediently walking with your Savior, you need to turn to him now.  Repent of your sins (Lk. 13:3), confess your faith in Him (Matt. 10:32-33) and be baptized into Him for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, you can look at life through a new pair of lenses and live with new understanding, new perspective and new hope (Rev. 2:10)…