GodReflection: Life with the Unfair
I am rather alert when it comes to unfair treatment of me. I spot it in an instant.
Somewhere in early childhood development we shouted out “It Isn’t fair”. I might note that normally children’s judgement call on this issue is self-directed as the offended and not the offender. (That perception is easy to carry into adulthood).
Probably, I didn’t know it at the time, but I grew up with the proverbial golden spoon in my hand. I received far more fairness than unfairness.
It took a move to a developing country to rub my nose in the unfairness of life for the first time. Since that time I’ve become acutely aware that unfairness does not have borders.
Little Sara was an eye-opener.
Just five-years old, Sara’s light shown in our church. Her constant smile lit her cute round face and beautiful oriental eyes as she brightened every room she entered.
Her social skills seemed beyond her age of five. Like a butterfly fluttering from flower to flower, she made her rounds pollinating joy in every life in the room.
I didn’t know Sarah’s parents, nor did I know the circumstances of her birth. Regardless of the difficulties or poor judgment on the part of her birth parents God still placed within her a brilliant soul.
Benedito and his wife Antonieta enter the story.
Frugality came to them through necessity. They lived in a small house on a survival income. In stark contrast to limit physical resources, their hearts’ gratefulness, and compassion knew no limits.
They were already raising a 15-year-old niece. However, their door opened with a wide welcome to add Sara to the family.
Life in a large city requires bus transportation for the masses. Hundreds of bus lines take people to work, shop, school, and worship. Thousands of buses traverse the city from dawn until the early hours of the following morning.
Her new fifteen year old sister accompanied little Sara to the bus for school each morning and met her at the bus stop when she returned.
One morning as they stood waiting for the bus—somehow in a millisecond no one could explain—the bus struck the two girls violently leaving young Sara dead and the fifteen year old to fight for survival and endure a recuperation period that would change forever her life.
Amidst the tears and the questions, as we lowered Sara’s small body into the grave we each picked up a handful of freshly dug earth to drop on the casket and gave her back to the Creator.
I could not answer the silent question that hung heavily in the air like a dark, heavy cloud of big city pollution.
All I could do was to remind us of Jesus’ words, in Matthew 18:3, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Since we all witnessed Sarah’s reflection of Jesus we all understood Jesus’ teaching at least for a moment.
What we didn’t understand was her death.
Everything about it was unfair. With one beautiful child dead and another lovely girl scarred and disabled for life the silent thought hung like a gloomy fog in every mind—life is unfair.
Over the next few posts my purpose will be to explore how to live with the unfair.
I hope you will read over my shoulder, reflect with me, and share your own input on a subject that affects each of us.
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on Life Ain’t Fair
God Reflection 
This is so powerful, Gary. I can’t wait to read the next few posts covering this huge topic. I’m passing it on. Blessings!
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