Karyn’s 7/2/2019 Talk – Fairness

To be or Not to be…

If you believe that Jesus died to pay the price for all of mankind’s mistakes – the things that separate us from our God who is perfect – one of the greatest victories you can achieve is when you begin to understand that your circumstances in life aren’t a measure of God’s trustworthiness.

What do you think faith is?

Faith is about what is unseen and obedience is about trusting, not seeing.

How many of you feel like there have been times when things in your home life have been unfair? 

We have like things to be fair. We search for fairness. If we think we have been good people, kind to those around us, or even read our Bible and pray, but we get a diagnosis that that is devastating, lose a loved one, or suffer in some way, we wonder where God is. Why do we deserve such “punishment.” How is that fair? When parents get divorced, or we go through a rough break up, a friend moves away and the change is painful, we wonder how God could allow it when we did all that we could in the relationship.

It just isn’t fair.

It’s very tempting to use our circumstances to put God on trial.

The problem is that the standard of fairness is our own, not God’s. This is particularly ironic when you consider that people who accept Christ’s death as payment for their sin are people who gain the biggest benefit of the most unfair exchange in the history of mankind. An innocent man died so we could live.

Resist the temptation to draw conclusions from your circumstances. God’s view is often opposite from our own view:

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven!” Matthew 5:11-12a

*example of running, drawing, math, writing code, etc.*

My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways. You know that such testing of your faith produces endurance. Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete, and you won’t need anything. James 1:2-4

Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved. That disciple was following them. He was the one who leaned against Jesus’ chest at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to Peter, “If I want him to live until I come again, how does that concern you? Follow me!” John 21:20-21

The pursuit of fairness is tempting. It is a big part of our culture, starting from a very young age. But it is a dead end.

It is an immature expression, like a 5 and 7 year old fighting over three-quarters of a french fry in the back of a mini-van. Or getting a reward that you didn’t expect, but being disappointed about the reward. 

Or, like these two monkeys…

*video*

-Karyn

(adapted from leaderhelps.com Feb 2015)