Have you ever heard this?  Or maybe said it yourself?  Fairness is a concept that has been misused.  When a 3 or 4 year old stomps their foot and says, “That’s not fair,” they actually mean, “I didn’t get my way”.  Sometimes adults do the same thing.

First, we need to define fair.  Dictionary.com has a long definition.  The first two items in the list are “free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice: legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules”.  According to this definition we should pursue fairness.  This is biblical; God pursues justice.

Another portion of the definition of fair is “marked by favoring conditions; likely; promising”.  I think this is the definition we usually think of.  However, this is definition #5 in Dictionary.com’s list.  Human nature wants to move this definition to #1.

The truth is that perfect fairness will not be achieved in this life.  However, whenever the Biblical concept of fairness is at risk, we should stand up for what is right (James 4:17).  When the selfish version is at risk, we need to let go and seek righteousness (Proverbs 21:21).  How can we tell the difference between the two?  Pleading in prayer.

May God’s way be first.