“Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”
Leviticus 19:15
“That’s not Fair!” is a very common expression used here in the United States. It is said in many different situations and refers to someone not getting what they think they deserve or not being treated the same way as other people. For example, it is used by children who complain that a brother or sister is getting something from their parents that they didn’t get. It is used by students who think other students get better grades and treatment from their teachers than they do. It is used by athletes and coaches who believe that fouls and penalties are not called fairly by referees and umpires. And it is also used by people who believe they are treated differently by the police or our justice system because of their skin color, gender, or economic status.
So, what does the word ‘fair’ actually mean? According to the dictionary, the word ‘fair’ is defined as “marked by impartiality and honesty; free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism, and conforming with established rules.” In other words, it means that people are treated according to an established set of rules that should apply the same to everyone. When people complain or believe that they are not treated fairly or that something isn’t fair, it generally means that they think the rules or standards are not being applied the same to them as to others.
The Bible tells us that we should judge (treat) our neighbor or others fairly (see Leviticus 19:15 above). It means to not show favoritism to one person over another. Jesus calls us to “love our neighbor as ourselves” (Matthew 19:19). But we so often fail to do this because humans are sinful beings, and we have our biases and prejudices that impact how we treat or judge others. And many times, we don’t even recognize that we are doing this to others. However, we are often quick to recognize it when it is done to us! We must remember the golden rule from the Bible: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)
The issue of what is fair only matters when there is a standard set of rules that apply to everyone. Without a standard set of rules, there is no ability to know what is considered right or fair.
In our nation, those standard set of rules are our Constitution and the laws that are established to govern personal conduct. These are the foundations of our legal system. And it is our law enforcement and justice system that must make sure that the rules are applied fairly. Although I believe our system of justice here in the USA is the best in the world, it is not perfect. The system may be good, but the rules are enforced and applied by people – judges, police officers, lawyers, etc. – who are not perfect. Today, we are seeing our laws not being enforced at all or being applied to some people and not to others. If we want our legal system to be fair, the laws must be applied the same to every citizen, regardless of who they are. The fact that they sometimes aren’t is due to sin and sinful people, not our laws or system of justice.
Perhaps a bigger question is this – “is life supposed to be fair?” When God created the heavens and the earth, and human life, “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31) Life in the garden of Eden was perfect and completely fair! But because of Adam & Eve’s sin, the earth, and the people in it, became corrupt and life was no longer fair!
I think we all would acknowledge today that life isn’t always fair. Is it fair that some children grow up with a mother and a father and some children don’t? Is it fair that some people are born rich and others are born poor? Is it fair that some people get cancer and others don’t? Is it fair that a tornado takes out one home and leaves the house next door untouched? The reality is that life is random and unpredictable and therefore can’t be fair. Things just happen that are beyond our control. As the movie character Forrest Gump famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get!”
But as Americans we do get to choose the life we want to pursue. Our nation was founded on the principle of our citizens’ right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” It means that every citizen has the right to determine the outcome of their own life. To accommodate this, our economy is structured as a free market system. It is designed to provide equal opportunity but not to guarantee equal outcomes. It enables our citizens to pursue their own outcomes based on freedom of choice, individual ability, and effort.
A free market economy allows for the free exchange of money for goods and services and labor for earning wages according to everyone’s individual preferences. While there is a set of laws (rules) that govern the activity in the market, people are free to make their own choices for the work they choose to pursue and the purchases they make, while companies must compete for their labor and their business. Because the market is based on millions of individual choices and transactions between buyers and sellers, it results in mutually agreeable outcomes. What could be fairer than that! This system rewards those who show initiative, take risks, create new products and services, develop their skills, and work hard. And history has proven this system to be superior to every other economic system in providing freedom, economic opportunity, wealth creation, the reduction of poverty, and ultimately, more fairness!
But there is something that truly isn’t fair in our world today. It’s the fact that Jesus, God’s own Son, would willingly suffer and die on a cross for every human being so that we might be forgiven, reconciled to God, and inherit eternal life. If God was fair, we would all be punished for every one of our sins – and they are many! For as Paul wrote in Romans 8:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Instead, God chose to send His own Son Jesus to our world to take upon himself the punishment for all our sins, so that we may be made righteous through the sacrificial blood of Jesus. It wasn’t fair, but it was the only way we could receive forgiveness and have our sins accounted for. And it also isn’t about anything we did to earn it. It is solely because of but Christ’s love for us and His obedience His Father (Ephesians 2:8-9)!
So, when you hear someone say, “That’s not Fair!”, remind them what Jesus did for them and everyone else on the cross 2,000 years ago. It was the most unfair thing that has ever been done!
We will never live in a completely fair world because of sin. So, we should be grateful every day for what Jesus has done for us. And it should lead us to want to worship Him and tell others about Him as well! That’s only fair, right?