Open to the Spirit
Today’s word: Fairness
1) As a parent of two children it seems to me that there was a period of time when nearly every day one or the other of them would loudly complain “That's not fair”. I have also heard those words at summer camp, and I am sure teachers and coaches have heard them also. Children seem to have an innate sense of what's not fair. I wonder sometimes, why adults seem to have lost that instinct.
As I look around our world there are those who are buying million dollar homes while others struggle just to find enough money for food each week. There are those who each year find a way to avoid paying taxes by investing overseas, or declaring fictional losses in their companies. A scandal in the country south of us revealed that some were welcomed into university whether they had the proper marks or not, simply because of money or a good pedigree. Other acaddemically deserving students found no place. Where is the fairness in that?
Jesus told a parable about a wedding celebration. When some found excuses not to come the host opened the doors to all. “Go out to the highways and biways and invite them all to the banquet”. The early followers of Jesus created a community of caring and sharing. He told them that if they wanted to become leaders, they must first become servants of all. Perhaps I am a bit of an odd duck. I don't mind paying taxes when I live in a society with universal health care and a social safety net for all. The word fairness reminds me that when we share with each other, we follow divine teaching and can create a better world.
2) Fairness. If only everyone in this world had all they needed to be happy and secure. That would be nice, but that is not necessarily a realistic vision. True fairness means that at a minimum every person deserves to be honored and respected, and should be given the resources so that they can live their life to the fullest, take care of their family, their health, and hopefully leave some time for finding pleasure in life.
I know that for millions of people, this is not the case, and practically, we can only begin to do what is necessary to make a fair world. But we also have to remember that fairness should begin with ourselves, since most of us want to be treated with respect and honored for who we are and what we do in life. In our daily interactions, our words and our deeds, we can create holiness and hopefully receive good will in return. Creating fairness starts small. Yet, at its best fairness is also a call for justice, and involves some very real action to make sure that our world is filled with equality and compassion, where people who work hard are rewarded, where people who have great needs are helped, and although we might not like to think about it, where those who cause harm or suffering to others are dealt with in an ethical and clear way.
Fairness begins when we look beyond what we think other people should be, or what other people need and we instead open up our ears and our hearts to ask what they need from us. I believe that God made each of us unique, and therefore each of us has our own unique divine plan to carry out during the course of our lives. If nothing else, we should work to create a world where we are given the freedom to fulfill this plan.
3) Fairness. I grew up in a family with two siblings. One of the things we three children monitored closely was how equitably our parents treated each of us. Were the pie slices absolutely equal? Was bedtime consistent for all of us? I remember still the sting of injustice I felt when a bicycle was considered too dangerous for me to handle on our city streets but not for my brothers when they came of age. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. As children we seem to have a finely honed ability to discern injustice. Yet as parents we learn that fairness can be a tricky thing. Each child has distinct needs and limitations. Some of us can sit still for thirty minutes while others last not more than five.
I remember hearing a former lawyer speak of the passion he once had held for justice that had him fighting for the under-privileged ad the marginalized. However, after tragedy struck his life and he could no longer make sense of the world his interest in fighting for justice in the courts of the land waned. Although he still valued justice, he was much more interested in mercy. We can each stand in judgement of one another. We can determine what is fair in our own minds. However none of us can really understand the hidden burdens and scars from the past that our neighbour carries. When justice walks hand-inhand with compassion, real and lasting transformation can make this world a better place.
One word, three voices this time and now your turn to reflect: What does fairness mean to you?
Rev. Mead Baldwin pastors the Waterville & North Hatley pastoral charge; Rabbi Boris Dolin leads the Dorshei-emet community in Montreal; Rev. Lee Ann Hogle ministers to the Ayer's Cliff, Magog & Georgeville United Churches; Rev. Carole Martignacco, Unitarian Universalist is retired from ministry with Uuestrie and now resides in St. Andrews bythe-sea NB, but keeps one foot in the Townships by continuing with this column.