THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

July 6, 2022

LIFE IN THE FOLD

A phrase that we often hear, from both children and adults, is, "It's not fair." Sometimes it is said in jest, and other times is heartfelt.

My niece has four children -- three girls and one boy. Her son has often said that it's not fair that he's the only boy. He's not mistreated by any stretch of the imagination, but he often feels as if his sisters gang up on him and he's outnumbered; which is often true. It doesn't help that, so far, his two of his sisters are tall for their age and he is small for his. We expect that one of these days he's going to have a big growth spurt and shoot up, but that's not yet happened. Not fair often describes how he feels.

Children often feel as if things are unfair, for many different reasons. It's not fair if someone else gets something that they are wanting for themselves; it's unfair if another child gets an award or wins something that another child wants; it's not fair if another kid gets to vacation at Disney and they have to stay home and be bored all summer; it's not fair if others get new clothes, while they have to wear hand-me-downs; it's not fair if other kids get name brand shoes that look cool, while they have to wear whatever is on the clearance rack; it's not fair if someone gets a game that they really want; it's not fair if they have to sit on the bench and not get to play in the ballgame; not fair if a sibling gets the last cookie, and the list could go on and on and on.......

But adults can sometimes be just as petty and feel as if they are being discriminated against or life situations just aren't fair. They don't feel as if it's fair when someone gets a promotion and pay raise that they thought they deserved; not fair when their neighbor gets a new car and theirs has dents and dings and getting old; not fair that their best friend got a new swimming pool and they don't have one; not fair when they can't go on a big vacation and it seems as if everyone else they know have big plans to get away; not fair when someone gets a new dream house and theirs is in need of remodeling and needs repairs; not fair when someone can eat anything they want and not gain weight and they seemingly gain 10 pounds if they eat that extra cookie; not fair when someone gets to spend 50 years (or more) married to their spouse when their own spouse passed away at an early age or their marriage ended in divorce; not fair when someone lives their life healthy with few or no problems and they have to be on medication and deal with various health issues; no fair when someone is blessed with kids and grandkids and they aren't; not fair when someone gets a new pair of shoes and you have to spend your money on your kids or groceries....... Not fair, not fair, not fair!

I've said those words occasionally, and sometimes I've just been joking and it's not how I really feel. But there have been other times when I've said them and deep down, that's how I'm feeling.

The truth is, most times when someone feels as if life or things aren't fair, it's because they want something that they aren't getting. They wish something was different than how it is, and instead of seeing the positives or looking for the bright side, they feel a sense of it being unfair. Instead of rejoicing that someone has something that they don't have and being truly happy for them, they think about what they don't have and feel slighted.

When we take on the attitude that nothing good ever happens to us... we never win... if something bad is going to happen to someone, it will be us.... and we are constantly on the lookout for the negative, then that's what we'll always see. If our focus is always looking for the next bad thing to happen, then we miss out on the many, many good things and blessings of God.

Sometimes we become complainers without really realizing it. We unintentionally become critical. We partake in conversations of negativity, not realizing that we then allow the attitude of others becomes ours.

Philippians 2:14 says, "Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you." That verse doesn't say to try your best or if it's convenient or if the other person is being nice or if you want to. But it says everything! Every single thing that we do is to be done without complaint or argument. That's a hard one!

I recently heard a lady speaking and she said that where she works there are a lot of big changes taking place. She shares office space with another women, who has many friends among their co-workers. Their office became a place where other employees would gather and air their complaints about everything that was going on. A lot of what they said was true. But in her attempt to know what was going on and to be part of the group, she began listening and participating in the conversations.

God spoke to her in a dream and told her, "You aren't the complaint department;" meaning that who she was wasn't to be the one whom people came to and aired their complaints. That's not who God created her to be and never His intention for her to become the one who listened to and responded to the complaints of others.

In her dream she asked God, "Then who am I?" He began naming off who she was.... she was the righteousness of God; she was the daughter of the Most High; she was a new creation in Christ... etc.

When we begin to listen to and participate in the complaints of others, we often begin to participate in what they are saying, and it takes our focus from God and who we are in Him, and we take on the attitudes and opinions of those whom we are listening to. We can begin to feel as if a situation is unfair, when in the past we thought differently.

Philippians chapter 4 has words that we need to live by! Verse 4: "Always be full of the joy in the Lord. I say it again -- rejoice!" "Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done." The results of that is that we will then experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

Then verse 8 says, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

If we would truly live our lives by these verses, then there would never be that feeling of unfairness. We would honestly be able to rejoice with those who rejoice, and be happy for them when they are blessed and good things happen to them. Negative thoughts wouldn't have room in our minds, but we would have thoughts that are fixed on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, admirable, excellent and worthy of praise.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

Who really defines "fair"? We might like to consider "fair" to be that everyone gets equally. But when one adult works hard, and another one refuses to take a job, we may want to redefine "fair" to be that everyone gets what they deserve.

That sounds good, till you read Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death...". It isn't the only verse that tells us that when we sin, we deserve true death, and permanent separation from God. And others that mention that everyone has sinned, so we are all deserving death. So, saying "fair" is getting what we deserve, doesn't sound so good. It may be honest, but not what I want. I don't want "fair". I want the last half of Romans 6:23, "... but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.".

So, when life feels unfair, be glad. If you think you aren't getting what you deserve, celebrate. Thank God that we can escape what we deserve.

ON THE MENEWE:

Apple Salad

Add dry pudding and Cool Whip together; mix gently. Add remaining ingredients and fold together. Refrigerate.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Last week my sister, my niece and her family fixed a taco dinner for my birthday. Afterwards we were all outside visiting. My niece's youngest daughter is 8 and Jon was teasing her about her toes. He asked if she would give him one of her toes for his birthday. She looked a little stumped for a minute, then said, "No. But I can give you a drawing of a toe!" Smart kid figuring out a smart response!!

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

How cool is it that the same God who created the mountains and oceans and galaxies

looked at you and thought the world needed one of you, too! - unknown

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org