Just or Fair?
Just thought I better post this before I forget the analogy myself.
Circumstances in our lives may cause us to think that God is not a fair God, everything's so unfair in life. If you're one of those thinking that way, you're on the right track!
That is because God is indeed not fair! It's not mentioned in the Bible that God is fair. God is JUST, but not FAIR. "What's the difference then?" you may ask.
Say you've got 4 kids. One of them is 18 and the others are triplets, say all of them are 12 years old.
When it comes to giving monthly allowances, because the older one needs more (because 18 wat, rite? Food alone oso whack more oredi) you give him 200 dollars per month. The 3 younger ones don't need that much, so you give them 50 dollars each. By doing so, you're demonstrating that you're just, but you're not being fair.
If when giving monthly allowances, you give all 4 of them 50 dollars, ignoring the fact that the oldest one needs 200 - you're being fair, but not just.
So can you now start to comprehend that God is just, but not fair?
Ya, I think this analogy is pretty cool too.
WillZ
Circumstances in our lives may cause us to think that God is not a fair God, everything's so unfair in life. If you're one of those thinking that way, you're on the right track!
That is because God is indeed not fair! It's not mentioned in the Bible that God is fair. God is JUST, but not FAIR. "What's the difference then?" you may ask.
Say you've got 4 kids. One of them is 18 and the others are triplets, say all of them are 12 years old.
When it comes to giving monthly allowances, because the older one needs more (because 18 wat, rite? Food alone oso whack more oredi) you give him 200 dollars per month. The 3 younger ones don't need that much, so you give them 50 dollars each. By doing so, you're demonstrating that you're just, but you're not being fair.
If when giving monthly allowances, you give all 4 of them 50 dollars, ignoring the fact that the oldest one needs 200 - you're being fair, but not just.
So can you now start to comprehend that God is just, but not fair?
Ya, I think this analogy is pretty cool too.
WillZ
6 Comments:
At 4:21 PM,
Anonymous said…
well said..well said..He is indeed JUST!! But i wonder..wat stirs up this thought?
At 5:56 PM,
Anonymous said…
just = fair
fair = just
they're synonyms la...
And how could you say that God isn't fair??? God will not, I repeat, will not shortchange anyone! I say, God IS fair...
but life isn't fair...
At 6:36 PM,
WillZ said…
God is not fair.. if He was fair He'd have everyone born in the same situation. Explain why some ppl are born in poor families, some rich, some with hands, some handicapped? God isn't fair. But He is just. Just, in providing even handicapped ppl things they need and being their God. Being fair here means you give ppl the same things, whether or not they are capable of handling it. 1 Cor. 10:13, He will not test us beyond what we can bear. Some can bear more, some less. He's just, but not fair.
At 12:36 AM,
Anonymous said…
With compliments:
Main Entry: fair
Pronunciation: 'far, 'fer
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English fager, fair, from Old English fæger; akin to Old High German fagar beautiful
1 : pleasing to the eye or mind especially because of fresh, charming, or flawless quality
2 : superficially pleasing : SPECIOUS (she trusted his fair promises)
3 a : CLEAN, PURE (fair sparkling water) b : CLEAR, LEGIBLE
4 : not stormy or foul : FINE (fair weather)
5 : AMPLE (a fair estate)
6 a : marked by impartiality and honesty : free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism (a very fair person to do business with) b (1) : conforming with the established rules : ALLOWED (2) : consonant with merit or importance : DUE (a fair share) c : open to legitimate pursuit, attack, or ridicule (fair game)
7 a : PROMISING, LIKELY (in a fair way to win) b : favorable to a ship's course (a fair wind)
8 archaic : free of obstacles
9 : not dark : BLOND
10 : sufficient but not ample : ADEQUATE (a fair understanding of the work)
11 : being such to the utmost : UTTER (a fair treat to watch him -- New Republic)
- fair·ness noun
synonyms FAIR, JUST, EQUITABLE, IMPARTIAL, UNBIASED, DISPASSIONATE, OBJECTIVE mean free from favor toward either or any side. FAIR implies an elimination of one's own feelings, prejudices, and desires so as to achieve a proper balance of conflicting interests (a fair decision). JUST implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper (a just settlement of territorial claims). EQUITABLE implies a less rigorous standard than JUST and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned (the equitable distribution of the property). IMPARTIAL stresses an absence of favor or prejudice (an impartial third party). UNBIASED implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice (your unbiased opinion). DISPASSIONATE suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment (a dispassionate summation of the facts). OBJECTIVE stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings (I can't be objective about my own child). synonym see in addition BEAUTIFUL
Courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
Hope that helps!
At 1:07 AM,
Anonymous said…
Somehow I'm not convinced about your analogy. It doesn't sit very nicely in my mind... Its like a piece of jigsaw stuffed hastily into the puzzle with its ends and bits sticking out and with no way of fitting the WHOLE thing.
FAIR connotes being reasonable in dealings within the confines/parameters of that situation/condition - it applies for THAT circumstance at THAT time for THAT person. I don't think the same fairness can be applied to everyone because people are individuals and "fairness" I think only applies on a person to person basis. JUST on the other hand applies to everyone regardless of background, race, etc. Being just means applying a set of principles and rules/protocols in dispensing what is due. Fair and just are synonyms but to me (at least) have subtle differences. The case of the analogy just (no pun intended) doesn't quite cut it. :)
But I agree to disagree on this matter if you do too. :D
At 1:37 AM,
WillZ said…
Gotta remember I'm talking about God here, not human definition of fairness and justice.
Maybe my definition is different from the ones you guys have but the thing we should nail down is whether we're talking about the same concept or idea. God is one that gives to each as each requires and is able to handle. Fairness implies giving of equal situations and amounts.
The discussion here isn't about the definition cos miscommunication is often a conflict of definition rather than of idea. Someone thinks the other person is talking about this when they are not. Instead of trying to get the right definition, we should try to get the same concept and idea.
The idea here is that sometimes we question God about why we have to go thru this and that, while others don't have to. We ask "Why can't everyone be given the same situation and from there we can see who's tougher and can survive?". We all have our own tracks and lives to live, each one is different. Some are richer, some poorer. Some are smarter, some aren't. Those questions won't exist between us and God when we understand God does not give everyone the same things.
On the other hand, He does give us whatever we need to live our lives according to what we've been given. To us a tough decision might be how we handle the 1 million dollars we have. To another, a beggar that is physically handicapped and orphaned since young - the act of picking up a empty can and placing it in the bin is what is required of him. So when we understand that God never gave us same situations to go thru life with we'd grasp that He has given us the ability to draw resources from Him as we each need and not complain.
Hope the idea is now clear, if not.. then ya.. we'd agree to disagree. =)
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