Mom said, "Life's Not Fair"

When I was a kid, I remember telling my Mom, "That's not fair."

She replied, "Life's not fair."

Throughout my life, fairness has always been an issue for me.  But my mom's statement still holds true - there are often things that happen that don't seem fair to me, and I just have to roll with it.  I was messaging with a friend about how some people are blessed while others are suffering (for instance, most Americans are blessed when compared to residents of third world countries); and I realize that it doesn't appear fair.  I didn't do anything to deserve my blessings, just as innocent starving children didn't do anything to deserve their situation.  And yet sometimes those who are suffering have more faith than those who have blessings.  This is another situation I don't understand - but perhaps that faith IS their blessing.  Faith isn't something money can buy.

My devotion today was on Envy, and it said, "Envy happens when someone else has something good, and you either desire to have it, desire them to lose it, or constantly compare your life to theirs.  Envy is one of the most corrosive attitudes you can allow into your heart.  Envy grows when you are blind to the good things God has given you, or when you are ungrateful for them, and instead focus on what everyone else seems to have.  It robs you of peace and causes stress."

All this thinking about fairness and envy brings the Israeli/Arab issue to my mind. When initially reading about Abraham's sons Ishmael and Isaac, I can't help but think that it probably didn't seem fair to Ishmael that he had to be sent away when he was actually the first-born son of Abraham.  Same thing with Esau, who was stripped of his rights as first-born (first by trading away that right because he was hungry, and then by his brother Jacob who fooled their father into thinking he was Esau).  Both Ishmael and Esau have descendants that make up the Arab world.  But God did give Ishmael land and a "great nation" when he was sent away from Abraham (Genesis 21).

I don't have the wisdom to know how this Israeli/Palestinian conflict should be resolved.  All I know is that I believe in a Christian God who all knees will one day bow to.  Neither Jews nor Muslims recognize Christ as the Messiah right now, but I believe one day all will bow to the one true God.  Until then, there will be conflict and war...  and I will always side on what I think is the best path to peace, justice and "fairness."  While Mom said "Life's not fair," I now believe that while life doesn't SEEM fair, God will one day reveal His truths to us and I need to have faith til then.

In short, while I know Americans usually side with the Israelis, I agree with John Kerry in that we should strive for peace... and a two-state agreement seems like the best way to attain that (even though that may never happen).  In my post from a couple days ago, I also noted that just because Israelites were "God's chosen people," they don't always do what's right.  God has acknowledged this and punished them also throughout the Bible.  Just because we are their friends doesn't mean we always agree.  And friends will tell friends when they think they are on the wrong path.