Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
The word of the Lord came to me: What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.
Reflection
"It's just not fair!" This was and and still is an expression I've heard from my children, from friends, from family and from my own mouth. Well, life is just not fair! That's all there is to it. Life is not fair. Or is it?
Perhaps life is fair. Perhaps it's not life that is not fair but rather my motives, my reasons, my sin that causes things in life to be unfair. I don't think God created you, me and all that exists out of a sense of not being fair. Then again... maybe fair or unfair was not any part of creation.
I think that God is fair in every way possible. It's my sin that gets in the way of fair. And there isn't a one of us who can escape some of the blame for unfair lives. God granted life to live and life to the fullest. It was my own doing that ruined this life. God was fair... but I wasn't fair to God. I'm the one who took the chance and sinned. I'm the one who thought I could get away with sin and God wouldn't find out. I'm the one who wasn't fair to God and return the joy of life that God graciously gave me.
I'm the one that needs to repent and turn to God and change. Yet, out of love, God turns and repents and changes. Yes, God repents and changes and turns to me out of deep compassionate love and repents and changes his mind and decides to love me to death. God loves me to the death. God comes to me in Jesus and gives his life for my sin and changes just so that I can live. Yes, God repents... so why wouldn't I repent and change?
God is the fair one and when I realize that... God's repentance and God's change... springs forth a repentance and a change that comes spontaneously in my life to God. Both God and myself have repented and changed and turned back. Both God and I turn back to one another and I see the love in the eyes and in the face and in the Spirit of Jesus.
God the Creator of all that is fair. God the Redeemer of all that is unfair. God the Spirit who graciously gives all that is needed for life... a life that is fair... and even a life in the midst of my sin that is unfair.
"Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?"
So, I think I'll put away that worn out expression of mine, of yours and of so many people... "It's just not fair!"
No... God IS fair and loving and saving and life.
Thanks be to God!
Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbZ124lFz60
Prayer
Lord, hear my words of repentance that you may see the change in my life as I turn towards you. Show me how to live fairly with those you give to me each day that I may turn to them as you have turned to me in love and compassion and understanding and action... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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