“That’s not fair!” whined the four-year-old dusty-headed boy who was defiantly challenging his patient, daycare teacher, as he stared longingly out the window. “Alora and Ivy got to go outside and play, and you’re making me and Sage stay inside. How come the girls get to go outside and the boys don’t?”

“Asher,” the teacher answered gently as she touched his arm, “please calm down and look at me. See if you can remember what I said right after we came back from lunch. What did I tell everyone in the class?”

Asher fiddled with his crayon and mumbled, “You said that anyone who finished coloring their peacock could go outside and play, as long as they did their best.”

“Did you color your peacock?” she queried.

“No,” he admitted, but it’s because Sage was telling me about his rabbits. But I still want to go outside.”

“Asher, you can still go outside,” she explained, “just as soon as you finish coloring your peacock.”

We all understand and appreciate the fair offer Asher’s teacher was making. But many of us have also felt someone should make an exception for our particular situation. We like fair play, but we prefer when things are tilted somewhat in our favor. The older I get, the more I appreciate above-board, fair systems – even if I don’t always come out on top.

One of the most wonderful things about the Almighty God of the Universe is that He gives everyone the same offers. He doesn’t bend the rules. He is not a pushover, but His offers are fair. We all have the capacity to comply. 

Paul explained this to a first century church that was struggling to be inclusive of people who were not of Jewish origin. His life was committed to letting Gentiles know that God was giving them the same offer to be born again and experience eternal life in Heaven. This is how he expressed it:

As you read over what I have written to you, you’ll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God’s Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. (Ephesians 3:4-6 msg)

God has made everyone the same offer, yet many still complain that He is unfair. They should probably pause to think it through. If God makes an offer they can comply with and then keeps His part of the offer, He is fair. Although part of us wants Him to bend the rules in our favor, it is far better to know that He doesn’t bend the rules – we can count on Him to be fair.