Life isn't fair.

That's the usual response to the person who cries out, "That's not fair!" Chances are, most of us have given this response to someone at least once in our lives and perhaps we have even been on the receiving end.

Some regard the fact that life is not fair as an injustice of monumental proportions. Others regard this simple truth as something over which to despair, but in fact, it should bring us comfort. Consider the following two points:

1. If life were fair, then we would deserve everything that happened to us--good or bad. That means that every stubbed toe, every illness, every accident, every hurt feeling, etc. would be deserved.
2. If life were fair, then we would have no hope of reaching heaven. After all, is it fair that an innocent man should die so that a world full of guilty people might have the hope of freedom?

Considering the public outrage demonstrated in recent history over individuals who were wrongfully imprisoned, I imagine many people would say: "No, it's not fair that the innocent should suffer." Additionally, how many people do you think would be willing to lay down their life so that the guilty might go free? How many parents do you think would sacrifice their own child to allow a multitude of quarrelsome and wicked people to know freedom? I'm hard pressed to think of any.

Paul acknowledged the thoughts of some on a manner such as this in Romans 5:6-8 - "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Think about that. Was that fair? Was it fair that Jesus, a man who was without sin, should die so that sinful people such as you and I could have a chance at eternal paradise?

No, it was not.

But then again, where fairness is given preeminence, mercy and grace cannot exist. By definition grace and mercy are given--not deserved. This is why we can take comfort in the unfairness of this temporary existence.

Dear listeners, faithful servants of the Lord stand to receive boundless mercy, grace, and ultimately pardon on the day of judgment while those who do not belong to the Lord--or have turned their back on Him--will receive the justice they deserve (Rom. 6:23). On the day of judgment, will you get what you deserve? Will your judgment be fair and just? If you are a faithful child of God, it won't be, and you will not mind a single bit that you didn't get what you deserved.