Daily Devotional for November 4, 2020
Not Fair
“That’s it!” Jace said angrily as he walked into the house. “I’m done being Mr. Nice Guy!”
Dad looked up from his computer. “Whoa! What are you so upset about?”
“I’m way past upset!” Jace exclaimed. “I’m mad!” With that he dropped into a chair. “I’m the one who got the baseball club started. I’m the one who found the bats and balls for the first game. I even got that sporting goods store to donate T-shirts for us. But everyone seems to have forgotten all that!”
“So what happened to make you so mad?” Dad asked.
“What happened is I’ve pretty much been dumped from the team! Now that they’ve got more players to choose from, I’m sitting on the bench most of the time.” Jace looked over to see if his father was properly upset at his news.
“Are the new guys good players?” Dad asked.
Jace shrugged. “They’re okay, I guess, but that’s not the point! I don’t mind letting the new kids play some of the time, but I almost never get to play anymore. It’s not fair, Dad!”
“Maybe it isn’t,” Dad said quietly. “Things in this world aren’t always fair. I know it’s frustrating and hurtful when people treat us unfairly, but try to look at this as an opportunity. Instead of getting mad, tell the others how you feel and see if you can calmly work out a solution. Maybe there are other kids who feel the same way. Instead of just trying to get more game time for yourself, see if you can give everyone a fair amount of time on the field.”
“I guess I can try that,” Jace said. “But what if it doesn’t work?”
“Well, then you’ll have another opportunity—to display the love of Jesus to your teammates even though you’re not being treated fairly,” Dad replied. “Jesus wasn’t treated fairly either. In fact, we’re the ones who deserved to be punished for our sins, but He suffered and died in our place—even though He’s the one who got everything in the whole universe started! Now that’s really not fair, is it?”
Jace knew it was true and that being bitter and angry about what happened wouldn’t change anything. But handling it calmly might make a difference. • Ruth I. Jay
How about you?
How do you act when you feel you’ve been treated unfairly? Do you react with love as Jesus would? That doesn’t mean you let people keep treating you badly, but it does mean choosing kindness over anger and bitterness. Calmly address the situation and tell them how you feel, and if that doesn’t work, see if an adult can help. Instead of reacting in anger, show them the love of Jesus.
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