Fairing through "No Fair"

A friend of ours sends us blessings every sabbath and this weeks blessing was just amazing. Isn't it awesome how God shows up when we aren't even looking for him and especially when we doubt? Today was a bad day. Just turn it blue and send it down to long term memory (Inside Out reference) kinda bad day. It hasn't been angry as much as the painful sorrow of being unloved. Anywho, I usually don't just glance at the weekly blessings, I wait for a time I can really read them. During this bad day I had waited to read my gifted blessing and when I did it just hit me like a pie to the face. I'm guessing you probably want to know what it was about huh?

It spoke of life being unfair. (Well duh. Figured that one out early.) Then talked about how God and love aren't fair either. (See why I have to wait to read them til I can sit down and really read them) My first thought, well God is almighty and just, so therefore fair; then God spoke... 

Matthew 20:1-16

Remember this parable about the vineyard workers? A man was hired first thing in the morning, another man was hired at 9, another at 5 and at the end of that long days work they all got paid the same.

 

I agree with the first hired man; my mind screams "No Fair!" Of course God answered our thoughts through the Land Owner....

“He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ (Matthew 20:13-15 NLT)

Now it's still seems not fair to me, but Jesus said at the beginning of the story...

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. (Matthew 20:1 NLT)

We agreed to this. We chose God and who are we to question His will? Now I can step back and see that it seems unfair, but from His perspective it may be totally fair and we just can't see the whole picture; Or He may be choosing to do what He wants and it's not fair (I mean, He is God).

Our friend said that he was once told that when we realize God isn't always fair we reach a new level of spiritual maturity. Today God challenged me to mature and to have peace with unfair. 

Looking back at today I think "ouch, that lesson hurt". I can't control life, people, or God; they (I mean we) are all unfair. It's what we do with that unfairness that matters. Do we take our wage and move on? Or do we question it? Do we become angry? We aren't necessarily called to take unfair and hug it, but we are called to turn it into love and testimony. 

So I am lifting my imaginary wine glass and saying "cheers to unfair".