The fair is in August!

When my brother and I were young and complaining about the perceived unfairness of a situation, my mom would state, 'the fair is in August.' This usually frustrated me, but only because she had made her point and it didn't serve my purposes.

I don't know as though the preoccupation with fairness is a new concept. It's human nature to look out for our own interests and desires. But can I be so bold to say that this mentality is not scriptural? Philippians 2:4-5 tells us that we are not to merely look to our own interests, but for the interests of others for such is the mind of Christ. The fact that Paul wrote these words so many centuries ago only confirms my aforementioned thought.

It might have been a book I read shortly before getting married or perhaps it was one of our pre-marital counselors, but I distinctly remember learning the concept that being consumed with fairness is a symptom of selfishness. The need and desire for fairness in marriage is really odd to me. How can you truly and sacrificially love your spouse and yet be so concerned about fairness? I'm not exactly sure where to attribute this paraphrased quote, but it's worth noting, "If you are concerned about fairness in marriage you can be assured that your divorce settlement will be quite fair as well."

I think it is of the utmost importance to concern ourselves with treating others with fairness and justice. The Bible is saturated with truths regarding how we are to treat others in kindness, love and humility. Yet, we are never told to demand this for ourselves. In fact, Leviticus 19:15 tells us quite clearly that we are to be fair and honest with all persons.

As my mother used to say, "Life just isn't fair." She's right. However, I am now of the belief that the sooner we accept this and the sooner we quit concerning ourselves with how fairly or unfairly we've been treated, our lives can be far more pleasant.