unfair

"What is unfair?"

Six of us each had to provide an answer during a round of the game "Loaded Questions" last night. Responses ranged from "a foul ball" to "if you get a rabies shot and then a dog bites you, you still have to get another shot."

Then today, we were asked to pray for a Karen man not far from MS. His wife is a patient of ours. They are refugees from Burma. The man left the safe house where he was staying to see his sister-in-law for an important reason. On the way, he was arrested for being in this country, even though it is dangerous to stay in his own. We found out that during the two days he had been in prison, he had not been given any food at all. The Thai prisoners were fed; those from Burma were not. Now the man is being deported.

That is unfair.

This morning, I read Exodus 21. Verses 23-25 say, "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise." That's definitely gruesome, but it's completely fair. And it reassures me to know that I serve a God who cares about justice.

So then what do I do with "the wages of sin is death"? (Romans 6:23) That's fair. If I sin, I deserve to die. That's the way it's supposed to be. And that's the way it would be, if it wasn't for Jesus' death in my place. "...BUT the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Thank the Lord for his infinitely generous gift!

Our team was able to give the refugee man food and some money before he was sent back to Burma. My prayer is for justice for him and for his people.

And my praise is for a God who was willing to pay the price of justice on my behalf - not to overlook the standards of his holy nature, but to satisfy them completely with the blood of his own Son.

What is most unfair of all?

Grace.