Somewhere along man’s pathway to the year of our Lord 2008, we seem to have collectively gone “tilt” on a particular issue. That issue, is the title of this letter. Somehow it has come to be that our world has decided that fair is about equal and that only when all things are equal is fairness attained. On the surface, that sounds somewhat logical, but there are many instances where our American society collectively cries out “Foul!” if we try and maintain an equal is fair approach. For instance: when it comes to taxes, many folks think that the rich should pay a larger percent of the tax. In reality, they do. The actual data shows us that those individuals and corporations which account for the upper 15% of income pay 85% of the taxes. That means that the rest of us, the remaining 85% of the population collectively pay only 15% of the total annual tax bill. Regardless of these numbers, however, we hear how the rich don’t pay their fair share and the middle class pays it all. The cry is always for the rich to pay more. If we had a standard, say 10% tax, then everyone would pay the same percent, but none would pay the same amount. Which one of these is equal? If we truly treated everyone equal, wouldn’t we all owe the same amount regardless of our income, some fixed dollar amount? We don’t want that system because we feel that the rich should pay more because “They can afford it.” Okay, but that is not equal, and yet most find it fair. What about our Savior, Jesus, and His salvation? He alone got on the cross and died for the forgiveness of our sins. Is that fair? Why shouldn’t we each have to die for ourselves? That seems equal and fair, impossible, but fair. This whole “Jesus died for me” thing is not equal, but we don’t cry out, “Unfair!” to that one.
If we have a Savoir and our sins are forgiven and you and I can get into Heaven even though we continue to sin but have Christ, and if everything needs to be equal to be fair, then why shouldn’t the ones who don’t know Him get a free pass as well? We did the same behaviors as them, it’s equal, but no cries from the redeemed about how unfair that is! Those who don’t accept the God of Israel as their Savior may cry out, “Foul, Unfair!” because they see it as unequal treatment for the same offenses. No righteous indignation from the redeemed on this one though.
Let’s go further. Why should the poor get all the handouts? That’s not equal. Why shouldn’t we all receive help? That would be equal and following our analogy, fair. How about children? They claim to their parents, “You let Bobby do this, but you didn’t let me! That’s not fair!” Why do they say it’s not fair? In their eyes if it is not equal, then it is not fair. What if one child is the type of child who is mature and responsible and the other is not? Should we make them both take the same path in the name of equal is fair? If so, then we must hold back the more mature child rather than recognize their own individuality and ability. The point is that the children are not equal in their development and therefore should be treated differently. That difference meets each child’s needs, even if it seems unequal. In the end it is not unequal because each child is getting what he or she needs.
Equal and fair are different things. It would help us to remember that as we go forward. It can be a true stumbling block if we try to decide what’s fair based on an unrealistic “Equality” standard, which really doesn’t look at equal as what each one needs and therefore deserves, but says that if one gets something different from the other then one is inherently better than the other. The Holidays are here. Find someone who needs you and give. It’s not fair but it won’t feel that way. Blessings!

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