Rethinking Fairness in Everyday Life: When Grace and Injustice Collide

These three scenarios are real experiences, but I have changed some of the details to protect the innocent. By “innocent,” I am not talking about those without sin, but rather those who did the right thing and were seemingly punished on behalf of those who did wrong. Think of this like I am innocent when I get pulled over even though I followed all traffic laws, not I am innocent to cast the first stone or see no need for Jesus as my only means of salvation (John 8:7).

Scenario 1:

You are at a high school cross country meet. The race times are posted. The entry fees paid. Right as the starter is about to shoot the gun, which signifies the race has begun, they see another bus driving into the parking lot. Those in charge of the race pause the starter to grant the “late” team an opportunity to warm up and get on the line. Some see this as an act of kindness, but it may be an unintended form of punishment for those who were ready to run the race because they were on time.

The race leadership signified to runners and coaches that start times are dependent on those who are late, not the runners and coaches who were on schedule. While prepared runners were required to wait and potentially cool down from their warm-ups, the late team was able to get prepared and come in fresh for the race. It seems an injustice to those who made plans to be there early because one “unprepared” team dictated the start time.

Scenario 2:

An exam is given at school. A few students do well, but many either fail it or do poorly. Instead of accepting the grades as is—like it was when I was growing up—a retest is offered. Students cannot make a lower grade than their previous score, but they can receive a better grade. There are no maximum number of points—like a 100 on the retest can only bring a student up to an 80 or 85 or a 70. In fact, the new retest score could be better than those who earned an “A” on the first test.

Again, what we have done is penalize people who did well on the first exam. We gave those people who failed or did poorly on the first exam another chance to not only get better, but also potentially surpass someone who did well and worked hard the first time. I think we should be a people of kindness, grace, and second chances, but not in a way that penalizes those who did the right thing from the start.

Scenario 3:

You have a work meeting. Everyone knows what time it is, the day, and the location. Yet someone is late. Do you start the meeting on time for those who were ready, or do you wait for the late person and then start it? I think you know where I might stand. We should start the meeting and not punish the people who were on time while holding the late party accountable and giving them the information they missed after the meeting concludes.

Are We Rewarding the Wrong People?

God created us to be “culture makers,” to use Andy Crouch’s phrase from Culture Making. We can and should celebrate and praise righteousness. Perhaps we would do well to flip the way we view such scenarios. Maybe we ought to give more weight and praise to those who follow the rules of our society, work, or school instead of punishing them because someone else fell outside the bounds of what was required.

We are responsible for our actions, and actions have consequences—both good and bad. You study or show up on time; you will probably experience some good consequences. If you do not, you may encounter negative ones. When we follow timelines or what is required of us, we show respect and honor to those in authority over us. Yes, I know that we Americans have a hard time submitting to authority. God has given us authority for our good. That is the foundation of the commandment, which reads, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex. 20:12). Being on time for a sporting event, doing well at school the first time, or being on time at work is a way we show honor and respect to those God has placed in authority over us.

As a society, we would do well to stop “punishing” those who do right when others are in the wrong. Perhaps we would do well to shift this paradigm upside down. In so doing, we might be able to help more people live out their God-given talents and grow into productive members of society. Food for thought.

Don’t miss Jeremy’s next post. Enter your email below to have it delivered straight to your inbox: