It's Just Not Fair

 

Just the other day, I was thinking about the program I attended that led me on the path back to my faith.  The program was called Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP).  This is a program for men, put on entirely by men, and usually happens on a Saturday night to Sunday Morning.  One of the guest speakers was talking about the saying in the Bible, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.”  I do not know what made me think of this, but I must say, two days later, it was the gospel of the day, at Mass, so I have a really good idea how I came to think about it.  As you have figured out by now, I will try my best to give you the “long story short” version, but I highly encourage you to read the Gospel of Matthew 20:1-16.

In the story, a land owner makes a deal with some workers to work in the field for an honest day’s wage.  As the day goes on, the land owner hires more people, some before lunch, some after lunch and one group was hired the hour before the day was to end.  When it comes time for payment, the land owner pays each man the same amount, a fair day’s wages, regardless of the number of hours the man worked.  You can imagine what the men, who worked in the fields from the first hour to the last hour, thought of that idea.  In today’s world they would have said, it’s not fair.

Now I have a five year old son and a seven year old daughter and the phrase “That’s not fair,” is spoken quite often.  I must say, I loathe that phrase, for many reasons.  One reason is the whole idea of what is fair and what is not.  Could you imagine the job description of the person who has to determine what is fair and what is not?

Rick Riordan wrote, “Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same.  Fairness means everyone gets what they need.”  I find this statement very profound, because it brings out a truth that I believe is often misunderstood in today’s world.  As a child growing up, my parents did their best to make sure each child got the same number of gifts to open at Christmas, and spent the same amount of money on each child (as best they could, anyway).  But as we were opening gifts, my brother, sister and I never got the same exact thing.  I got a tennis racquet, my sister got a new leotard for gymnastics, and my brother got a baseball bat.  All three of us got what we needed (maybe even wanted), but none were the same. 

In the Bible story above, the landowner made a deal and gave the workers wages according to the deal they made.  While the first in the field felt they should have gotten more, they got the wages based on the deal they made.  In the world of sports, how often do we hear a superstar refusing to work, until they get a better deal, based on their performance of the previous year.  Yet, never, have you heard an owner refusing to pay the superstar when they are riding the bench because of injury, and not meeting their potential. 

My priest, Fr. Tom, told a story about a parishioner in one of his previous parishes.  This parishioner was upset that Fr. Tom spoke about the person on their death bed, finally discovers Jesus, three days or so before he dies.  Because the person expressed a faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the gates of heaven were open for them.  Now those of us who have attended Mass every Sunday of our life, could say that’s not fair.  But isn’t it good to know that God is right next to us waiting for us to make the statement of faith and welcome us into His heavenly kingdom, no matter if we have been practicing faith for many years or just a few short days. 

Now, I know what you are thinking, I will just wait until a couple of days, weeks, or years before I make that leap of faith.  There are two things wrong with a statement like this.  One, you never know when your day may come, so it is quite possible you might not have that chance.  And, two, you have no idea how wonderful your life, here on Earth, will be, EVERYDAY, when you follow God.

So, when it comes right down to it, life is not fair.  I will not always get what my neighbor gets.  I will not always need what my neighbor needs, either.  Fairness is getting what you need, and who knows more of what you need, than Jesus.