Friday, March 30, 2012

"FAN THE FLAME" FRIDAY - Fair

Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.

This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)

Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!


Today's word: fair

What does it mean to be fair?

Is there a difference between being fair and being just?

How do you reconcile God's perfect justice with things that don't seem fair?


Let me know what you think!!


"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

10 comments:

  1. I'll have to come back on this one. It seems easy, but it's actually more complex as I thought about it. Of course, I've only had one cup of coffee this morning.

    It's not really fair of you to expect me to think this early now, is it?

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  2. Life isn't fair! I hear so many times - I wonder who and how we come to feel it should be. Yet when my life is not fair - I try to say - well why not me if something happens. It's all about learning and growing I think. Sandie♥

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  3. Another good one Sharon! Like Sandie said, we hear it all the time, life isn't fair. But of course life isn't going to be fair, Jesus kind of gave us that warning when he said "when bad things happen, not if bad things happen". Wow, now that I'm thinking about fair, I'm having trouble trying to define it. Fair is kind of like being equal and a just thrown in. Like we want to be fair with how we treat our kids and how we treat others. It should be relatively equal with things we give the kids but also on how we treat others. We should treat others equally no matter whether they are a stranger or someone we really love. I hope that part makes sense.

    I think when thinking about God and his perfect justice and whether or not something is fair, we have to make sure we don't put our human emotions/thoughts/wisdom on what we think God should be doing and in essence play God. Since he sees the big picture and since he's in control, we have to reconcile ourselves to the thought that there will be things that make no sense to us or seem unfair but then just trust God knows what he is doing.

    betty

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  4. Ok, maybe what ever wasn't letting me comment is fixed.

    I think after pondering that I think of fairness as relating to equality. We think it's "fair" when we have equal treatment, opportunity, or consequence for equal circumstance.

    I think something can actually be "fair" without being just. For example, just because all folks are treated equally and fairly, that doesn't mean that they are getting what they deserve in the circumstance, which is justice.

    Make sense?
    Probably not.

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  5. This is my first time here . . . and I'm gonna do something that may seem a little bold. I'm gonna link you up to a post on my own blog.

    Not because I want to take away from the conversation here, but because your prompt word "fair" was a perfect reminder of a post I did a few weeks ago . . .

    So here it is: http://jasonandkelliwoodford.blogspot.com/2012/02/better-than-fair.html

    Thanks for generous grace, *new* friends!
    All for His glory,
    Kelli

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  6. This is my first time here also and I am going to jump in with my thoughts after pondering: I think both words, "fair" and "just" are a matter of human perception. We all wear "blinders" to some extent that "colors" our perception of the world we live in. Having lived with sudden, total deafness since 39 certainly has given me the "right", if you will, to say, "Life is not fair". I don't believe fairness enters into this equation. I believe only the Lord sees the whole, true picture and seriously, we are all sinners saved by GRACE. GRACE becomes the operative word here, for me. What could be less "fair" or less "just" than Jesus dying on the Cross?

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  7. boy Sharon...I've been dealing with this all week. Fair and just. I think when something is fair it will be just. And you feel this peace inside.

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  8. We all like fairness but so many things in life are not always fair. Some day He will make everything fair and just. How glorious that will be.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

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  9. Even as a child I loved Palm Sunday. I understood how Jesus deserved our praise.

    I think life just isn't fair. But it's life, and the importance comes in how we handle it. To me, we'll find justice when we get to Heaven's door.

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  10. Being fair? I don't believe that we can define what really fair is. Because each and everyone judge for what she/he thinks is fair. But it does not mean it is fair again to somebody else. My prayer is for God to help me to treat others fairly with His wisdom, coz my thoughts and feelings goes up and down everyday. I think God can say it more clearly: Do to others what you want others do to you.

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)