Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Cry with those who are crying. Romans 12:15 It really made me mad. Here is the skinny: I was listening to the radio. It was on Mike & Mike, a morning sports talk program. They were discussing a recent story about a boy who wrote to his teacher to ask him if he could be let off a test that was coming up because the Cubs were in the playoffs and he had tickets. He is a die-hard fan and here is his text... Guess what? The teacher gave him the O.K. to miss his test. The boy was ecstatic.
One of the Sportscasters named Mike Greenberg loved this story because he not only is a Cubs fan, but he thought it was a nice feel-good story about a kind professor. Well the other Sportscaster named Mike Golic said that it wasn't fair. He believed if this kid was allowed to be let off from taking the test the rest of the class should be let off as well. Greenberg said this comment was idiotic and it ruined the whole gesture of the teacher. I completely agree. In fact, at the root of Golic's opinion is one of the most popular values in American culture today, and it is ruining us collectively as a people. I call it the curse of fairness. Somehow we all believe we deserve a fair shot, similar treatment, equal results, and no special favors. If a boy in my class gets a day off for a game, I should get a day off too. If my sister has a birthday party and gets presents, mom and dad should get me a present so I don't feel bad. Scores in my children's sporting events should not be counted because we can't have someone losing. I can't take it. This fairness obsession has reached ridiculous proportions in all Western cultures. Take Australia for instance, there is a group of concerned citizens that are actually trying to push an agenda where those children who are raised with both a mom and dad have an unfair advantage over those kids with only a single parent. So the single-parent child should get extra help in lunch programs, tutoring, and the first ones accepted in colleges and hired for government employment. So in other words, the love of "fairness" ultimately punishes the families who do things right. Success and special favors are to be suppressed because...it's not fair! Underneath all this fairness is an assumption that everyone is deserving, everyone one is good, and everyone must never be allowed to feel pain at the expense of other people's gain. So the only way to fix it is to not let anyone have anything special. No one should be allowed to earn extra credit, have their extenuating circumstances be a way to gain extra favor, and no one should ever be able to rise above. It's only fair. In the book of Luke 12:13, a man who values fairness, runs up to Jesus in a huff and says, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." Sounds reasonable, sounds fair, doesn't it? Here is Jesus' response, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbitrator between you? . . . Be on your guard against all kind of greed..." Jesus hits the nail on the head. People don't want fairness, they just want what other's have. And if they can't get it, they whine, moan and put up a fuss. Another name for this is covetousness. This is sin. Why can't we be happy with other people's success? Why can't we be happy when other people get special treatment? Because we are never really happy with ourselves. And if you were to dig deeper the real problem is that we don't think we are being treated fairly by God himself. Do you think God is treating you unfair? Do you think you deserve more? If you do, read Luke chapter 13:1-5. Jesus says if you really want fairness you have no idea what you are asking for. Disaster and death is everyone's deserved lot. So, if you are breathing today, drinking water, eating pizza, you are one of the lucky ones because you deserve so much less. And just think, there are some people, like the Rich Man in Hades (Luke 16:24) who wants only a taste of cool water on the tip of his tongue. At least you have that? So relax, and have fun at other people's joy. It makes a party so much more enjoyable!
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