Life isn't fair. Or did you already know that?

You might not want to hear this.....

.....but it's true.

Life is not fair. Really isn't. And guess what else? Nowhere in the Bible does it say that life will be fair. For anybody. Not for unbelievers. Not for believers. Just ain't gonna happen.

Do we think we have family problems? In the very first family, Adam and Eve had one son kill another. He killed him over his worship of God! The survivor was banished from the family.
Abraham's wife insisted that he commit adultery with her maidservant, and then got mad and Abraham sent the maid and the baby out into the desert to die.
Jacob worked for seven years for his future dad-in-law, just to marry the love of his life, Rachel. At the last minute, the father switched the brides and Jacob had to work seven more years to get the right girl.
Do we think we have problems at work? Joseph was a slave in Potiphar's house, and the lady of the house falsely accused him of assault. He was sent to prison and was forgotten about for quite some time, till God moved and caused his situation to change.
One day, the priests are moving the Ark of the Covenant, and a man named Uzzah, working for them to effect the move, reaches out because the Ark tipped and he wanted to ensure it didn't fall. He died on the spot.

None of these things seem fair.
And there are other examples, too. Hannah, David, Naboth, Job, and more. Those are treated pretty badly, though David gives as good as he gets. (Grin) Then there are Samson, Rehoboam, and others who manage to mess up a lot of what they touch. Other people suffer because of them.
Just not fair.
Think it's only in the Old Testament?
Jesus Christ was arrested on a trumped up charge. One of his friends of long-standing betrays Him, and another denies that he knows Him. Even though He is found innocent in court, He is killed like the basest of criminals.
On the other hand, a man named Saul pursues Christians, having them imprisoned and killed. He ends up being a believer and all is forgiven. People died because of him, but he gets to change his name and live a long life.
Oy vey.
Why have I listed all of these?
What do all these stories have to do with our study? Well, this week we will look at this truth: life is not fair. And then we will focus on what we should do about it!

Here is our passage for this week:

Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin,    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.   (I Peter 2:18-23)

Wow. Peter definitely is telling us: Life. Is. Not. Fair.
But we will see that he also tells us how to handle this!
We human beings are born with a strong inner sense of fairness -- and a strong desire to fight for our rights when we think we've been treated unfairly! And it's not just the kiddos who moan about it when they don't get what they want, or what they feel they deserve.....
......haven't you been there, too? You're a conscientious worker, right? You make certain that you get to work early or on time, you don't fudge and take too long at lunch, and you stay a few minutes late if necessary to finish a project. You don't waste time at the water cooler chatting, and because you are a Christian, you don't drink or tell off-color jokes with the boss.
......your co-worker? What a difference! Comes in late, takes long lunches, and talks a mile a minute with the other workers. You often have to correct (or complete) his work, and he drinks and tells dirty jokes that the boss finds hysterically funny.
You know where I'm going with this, right?
At promotion time, he gets the better job, and you are overlooked.
Sigh.
How should you respond? How should we as believers respond when we are treated unfairly? Is it wrong to defend ourselves or to stand up for our rights? What should we do, especially in a workplace situation?
I have to admit, it took study and prayer for me to be able to accept Peter's answer..... I was not happy about it at first.

Come back tomorrow, OK? We'll talk about it.