Victoria Advocate, A Different Perspective
Our son stopped by a couple of weeks ago, but I was sick, so the grandsons stayed in the truck. Not sure who that was harder for—the boys or Mamaw. Keeping my distance, I slipped out with M&Ms and offered them the bag. The older, cautious one took a small handful. But when the younger brother grabbed as many as his little hand could hold, the older one said—you guessed it—“No fair!”
Then three-year-old Ellie came for an overnight visit. Not what we planned, but it worked out for all. Mom was thrilled not to have to keep up with her during a get-together at the river, and we were thrilled to have Ellie all to ourselves.
She ate kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and snacked on Hippeas, a chick pea-type of Cheeto. Outside, she brought me a pearly gray bird feather for safekeeping and thoroughly inspected a purple dragonfly wing. She caught a frog which necessitated endless rounds of caregiving and busyness. She adored having the grandkid toys all to herself, but her favorite was the ladybug scooter. She rode it all over the house and balanced on its back to reach the chocolate cake frosting.
During a visit with her great-grandmother, Ellie played with ceramic turtles and worms and ate Chex Mix, Gigi’s go-to snack for children of all ages. Then, she chilled in the evening by watching A Turtle’s Tale—a fun kid movie with sea turtles, sharks, and a cat with a heavy French accent. Lacey, our white dachshund, was her constant companion, always hanging around, sniffing her clothes, and hoping for a handout.
But when we took her home, she was glad to see her family and animals but got aggressive with her oldest sister—to the point that Annabelle pushed back. As adults, we know how that story ended. Ellie got hurt, and Annabelle got in trouble. Well, Annabelle was the oldest and knew better…but life can be rough. After a stern talking-to from her mom, she snuggled next to me and said in a small voice for my ears only, “No fair.”
I agreed but knew better than to say it, so I talked about how great it will be when she grows up and already knows how to treat people. That she’ll be a natural leader because she’ll know how to act in challenging situations. Complicated concepts for an eight-year-old, but hopefully, I planted a seed of wisdom.
However, young children aren’t the only ones who think life isn’t fair. When I heard the news that a friend died this week after a long, arduous battle with cancer, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. But railing at God is fruitless. So instead, I focused on how our beloved Billie is no longer suffering and is with the Lover of her soul. And that God can be trusted to do what He deems best.
The only reasonable explanation for life not being fair is that it was never meant to be. Once again, we need to see things from God’s perspective instead of our own. His love for us trumps fair. Jesus’s trial and crucifixion weren’t fair, but God allowed it so we could be free. It’s called grace. It’s when God throws out the rules so His best can happen.
Grace is God’s antidote to life not being fair. It’s a reckless, extravagant gift of God that we don’t deserve. It flies in the face of “Not fair” and delves deeper. It rides with abandonment, free of all restraints.
The way Ellie rides the ladybug.