Not Fair

It was not fair. He had a large and adoring family, was one of the richest men in his community, and was as honest as the day is long. A decent and God fearing man, he seemed to have it all. Suddenly, disaster struck. All ten of his children died in a single accident. His wealth was stolen, and his health failed. His wife demanded, “Curse God and die!”

What would he do? What had happened? Why had he been singled out? His friends argued that it was all his fault. “You’re being punished for your sins,” they said. “Whoever perished being innocent?” But that wasn’t the case. He was a perfect and upright man who feared God and turned from evil. Nothing he had done could account for his troubles.

The simple fact is bad things happen to good people. Life is not fair.

Life isn’t fair. Never was. Never will be. Job knew that. He exclaimed: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Troubles come to men just as the surely as the sparks fly upward (Job 5:7).

The marvelous thing about Job is that he never lost his faith. He proved that a man can maintain his faith in the midst of trouble. Job is not unique. Bad things still happen to good people, and good people still cling to their faith in the midst of adversity.

We’ve all seen it. A good, decent, honest fellow whose loyalty to Christ was unquestioned is confronted with inexplicable adversity. On the other hand, a man as ungodly as they come may appear to live an easy and carefree life. How do we explain it? Again, life isn’t fair!

A faith that is firm only as long as life is easy and seems fair is no faith at all.

Bad things do happen to good people, and good people find the resources to deal with them through their faith. That’s what Job did. Don’t complain when troubles come. Look eagerly beyond them to what awaits those in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1). And, exclaim with Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).