It's Not Fair!

By now anyone who has access to TV or Social Media has heard about the blown call during the Saints vs. Rams playoff game. If you happen to have been living under a rock, then allow me to give you the highlights. It was the fourth quarter with less than two minutes on the clock. The Saints were facing a 3rd and 10 on the Rams 13 yard line. Drew Brees threw a pass to receiver Tommy Lee Lewis and everything looked good. That is until the Rams defender hit Lewis well before the ball got there.

It was a crystal clear case of interference. All 73,000 fans in the stands knew it. Anyone watching the game on TV knew it. The problem was that the referee's didn't call it. It ended up being a game changing call that cost the Saints the game and a chance to play in the Super Bowl. Everyone including Quarterback Drew Brees knews that it wasn't a fair call. The whole situation simply wasn't fair. After working so hard all season, to be forced to walk away on this type of call just wasn't fair.

Sometimes, life is a whole lot like this football game. Just ask the wife who was left so her husband could chase after a younger model. Or the employee who has worked for 25 years for the same company only to be given a pink sheet. How about asking the young couple who lost their baby just moments after the delivery. Or the senior who finds out that the person they trusted with their life savings was a thief. 

The reality is that many of us have had reason to cry out, "IT'S NOT FAIR!" And if you haven't experienced that particular emotion yet, just wait, there's still time. So, what do you do after you've been kicked in the teeth? How do you recover? As I pondered this question, I was reminded of the story in the Bible about Abigail. Once again let me give you the highlights. Scripture describes Abigail as an intelligent and beautiful woman. It also describes her husband as surley and mean. One day, her husband (Nabal) acted out of his meanness and put their entire household at risk of being murdered. Though we find no record of Abigail crying out "It's Not Fair", I'm sure sure felt it. I know I would have. But she didn't pause there. In fact, she didn't pause at all and that's what we can learn from her. 

You see, when she learned that her husband had offended King David and he was planning to come and kill everyone she cared for, she got moving. In fact, when Abigail learned what her husband had done, scripture says that "Abigail acted quickly" and ultimatley saved the day. You can read the whole story found in 1 Samuel 25, but here's my personal take away from the story. When life isn't fair, our job is to do the next right thing.  

As tempting as it might be, I'd love to encourage you to not throw a pity party or set up camp in the land of depression. But by all means, go ahead and have a momentary fit, maybe even a good cry or two. It's healthy as long as it's temporary, but then, get up, dust yourself off, thank God that it didn't kill you and do the next right thing and trust that God knew the end from the beginning and can bring beauty from ashes even if you can't see it right now.

Sending you lots of love,