“But we see Jesus”
Hebrews 2:9 (NKJV)
Dear reader, are you a keen student of fairness? I know I am. Though relatively mild mannered, nothing makes my blood boil than when I join a queue whether it is a traffic queue or queue for the checkout at a supermarket and someone pushes in! I’m sure you can relate and the reason it causes such annoyance is that it is grossly unfair as well as being disrespectful.
Humanity considers fairness a noble thing and at first glance it is. We can even be frustrated at God because we do not feel that He is being “fair” when for instance we might have prayed persistently for something, served faithfully and in obedience and feel we have been met with silence in return. What’s going on?
The world is unfortunately full of injustice, which is almost a more formal word for unfairness, this is not breaking news. That is also why laws at least in theory exist in its most ideal form: to uphold this lofty notion of fairness. Someone who commits a crime receives just punishment for it; It feels fair right?
Yet, our “noble” pursuit and quest for fairness in our own lives or when we feel short-changed by others or even God is disarmed, and our sense of self-righteousness undone the moment that we look at Jesus.
If ever there was someone who was least deserving of what he endured on earth at the cross, it was Jesus. The purpose for which the face of God incarnate endured such a grossly inhumane punishment and humiliation was the ultimate scandal of unfairness to fulfil what God had been seeking since the original fall of humanity: the rebirth of restored intimacy between himself and us in love. It represents the lengths God went to and still goes to for you and me and we could not in any way describe it as fair.
It is the ultimate act of perfect, sacrificial love by a God who is just and Holy and as the Bible describes is the very embodiment and by extension the author and creator of love expressed in perfect form.
One of the most beautiful verses in the New Testament that sums up the scandalous radical love that could be called the pinnacle of unfairness is Romans
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 (NIV)
God met our brokenness, shame and the unjust, unfair and sinful acts done in thought, word and deed to one another and against him with love at the cross. With fists shaken towards heaven, he answered with the gift of His perfect son to undeservedly take the punishment for a broken, shame faced, hostile humanity. The essence of his love is unfair and this should not induce guilt of any kind but I pray it would bring about new revelation of the depth of God’s love that he has for you and compassion for others around you.
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins…We love because he first loved us.”
1 john 4:10; 19 (NIV)
Fairness has to do with what I feel I deserve or don’t deserve and what you feel someone else deserves or does not deserve. This however is thrown out the window when we consider that we have received this undeserved by lovingly given gift that is Jesus.
Therefore, when we are tempted to pass judgement on others and indeed ourselves based on this notion of fairness, remember Jesus and the overflowing heart of God poured out at the cross, for you and for me. Let us extend this grace and mercy received from a God who loved us and gave himself for us to others even when we feel they do not deserve it. Neither did we, but our saviour gave with heart filled abandon in love without exception.
©2021, B. Trowbridge
Abba's Dearly Beloved 