But That's Not FAIR!!!

       I've thought alot about this subject of the last blog since I wrote it.  Things that are unfair have always gotten us, haven't they?  I taught little kids for many years, and I can't begin to count how many times I heard the words ,"It's not fair!".  As adults, we tend to express the same feelings, sometimes in different words.  It's very hard to have a situation that we feel is unfair and simply have to bear it.   I remember my mom telling me,"Life is not always fair".  And it's not.
      Especially hard to deal with are the situations where others are believing untruths told about us.  It has happened to me.  You want so much to get justice.  To be sure everyone knows the truth. To be sure the person that has hurt you is known for their lies.  To make it fair.
      That's what makes this walk with Christ so tough.  If we go to the trouble to fight back, we have done the opposite of what The Word tells us to do.  I admit the last time I faced this situation I failed miserably.  If I had devoted myself to The Word at that time I would have learned a lot of things.
First, feelings like I was having were felt by people who wrote scripture as well.  In Psalm 58:3-4, David expressed his feelings pretty clearly:
      "Even from birth the wicked go astray;from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.  Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears."
As a matter of fact, if you search for the word 'wicked' you will find verse after verse in the Psalms that speak of people who hurt you and what they will face with God.  I wonder if I would have received comfort from those verses and it would have kept me from fighting back IF I had read them?  I wish I had.
      So what to do when others spread lies or are evil to you in some way?  Well, after you find comfort in seeing that others have faced it, here are some scriptures that  will help us to approach the situation  in the way God would have us to do.
      I sometimes use the excuse "I just couldn't help it" or "I'm just not strong enough to...." when faced with a temptation.       Psalm 46:1 tell us, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  He will be the strength we need if we just ask.  1 Corinthians 10:13 is the real kicker though:
"No temptation will seize you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful.  He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up against it."  Some people think this scripture means He won't give you too much hardship, but that is not true.  This verse relates to temptation..........sin.  There is no excuse for us to continue in something that is wrong, because He WILL provide a way out if we just ask and look.
     Romans 12:17 gives us clear direction in this and many other situations: "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody."  Yeah, in the eyes of everybody.  Even the person who has hurt you.  Hard stuff.....NOT FAIR.....but pleasing to our Savior.  And that's all that really matters.

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