The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.” “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites." Joshua 17:14&15
Thought
Life is not fair. Despite the fact that we have laws that protect us from exploitation and abuse - notwithstanding the idea that most people have the best of intentions - we will never realize complete fairness in every situation in which we find ourselves. Even in athletics where there are explicit rules and referees whose roles are to insure that the rules are kept there are times when something happens that everyone admits is just absolutely wrong!
This is not pessimism - it is just reality. The only question is what to do in response to the inherent unfairness that comes with life. Joshua's answer for the descendants of Joseph who felt that they had been treated unfairly was for them to use their resources to go after what they thought they deserved. In other words they had two choices: 1. They could use their energy complaining about what they did not have; 2. They could muster their strength and get the portion of land that they believed rightfully belonged to them.
We often have those same two options. And sometimes it is imperative that we pause and fight the good fight by advocating for what is fair. But even when we do that, we still must do something to claim what is ours even after the fairness fight is over. More often than not our resources are best spent on the creation of our own solutions and the development of our own futures. If we don't like what we have, then we should go out and get more.
This is not pessimism - it is just reality. The only question is what to do in response to the inherent unfairness that comes with life. Joshua's answer for the descendants of Joseph who felt that they had been treated unfairly was for them to use their resources to go after what they thought they deserved. In other words they had two choices: 1. They could use their energy complaining about what they did not have; 2. They could muster their strength and get the portion of land that they believed rightfully belonged to them.
We often have those same two options. And sometimes it is imperative that we pause and fight the good fight by advocating for what is fair. But even when we do that, we still must do something to claim what is ours even after the fairness fight is over. More often than not our resources are best spent on the creation of our own solutions and the development of our own futures. If we don't like what we have, then we should go out and get more.
Prayer
"God, give me the audacity to go beyond unfair treatment and to get myself to the next level on my own strength. Amen."
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