Unfair

Life is unfair. The inequities are end­less. The scales are never really bal­anced. If they ever are, they are only for the moment as they swing from one injus­tice to another. Life was never intended to be fair. No two humans are alike, nor were we ever sup­posed to be. “Fair­ness” (in the com­mon mind) is a mechan­i­cal mea­sure. How insult­ing it would be if we were all prod­ucts of some assem­bly line of life. Per­son­ally, I am glad that there is no way to mea­sure any of us. I am even more glad that “fair­ness” is an impossibility.

When things are unfair, there is room for mercy, grace, gen­eros­ity, and com­pas­sion. The wounded child within finds the wounded child in oth­ers. The results can be deep spir­i­tual inti­macy. With­out the wounds of injus­tice, there is no open­ing for mutual concern.

I view with sus­pi­cion bumper stick­ers demand­ing jus­tice. I always get the feel­ing that “jus­tice” is on the terms of the dri­ver or some group he or she rep­re­sents. His­tor­i­cally, attempts at total jus­tice become the great­est human injus­tices. Being fair is a range more than a mark. Our needs vary by the moment. The scales of needs and deserv­ing ele­ments are for­ever in flux. This does not jus­tify the unjus­ti­fi­able, but reminds us that we are in no posi­tion to dic­tate jus­tice. It is not within our capac­i­ties. We are not omni­scient. If we knew all, then we might dare to approach the Divine Scales.

Job railed against God’s “injus­tice” in his per­ceived fate. God’s answer to Job was sim­ply that Job did not know enough (and never would) to make such demands. Job repented of his com­plaints. For what­ever rea­son, God chose to give him even greater riches. Was even that fair?

No, it was gracious.