Justice will settle down in the desert and fairness will live in the orchard.
(Isaiah 32:16 NET)

As Christians, we sometimes confuse the concepts of justice and fairness. God is just but life at times is not always fair.

Ten of twelve Apostles were martyred. Were they treated fairly? They were killed just for proclaiming the truth. Justice and fairness are similar yet different concepts, while fairness is an issue seen from a temporal or a short-term perspective. Justice has eternal applications.

If you liken eternal life to a movie, our life on this earth is but a few frames. In those limited scenes of our earthly existence is where injustice and or lack of fairness arises. God sees the end from the beginning, and from this perspective, dispenses his justice.  When God said he would give justice to all mistreated, that is what he precisely means. The Apostle Paul, when treated deceitfully, said,” For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT). The all-seeing and all-knowing God will one day set all accounts in order. Until then, we walk by faith and not by sight and trust in the character of God.

We have all experienced injustice in varying degrees. Of course, my unjust treatment looks more significant than yours, because it is mine and not yours. At God’s judgment seat, he will reveal the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. The corresponding rewards will last throughout eternity, unlike temporal ones who always have a fading glimmer. At this point, our eyes will be opened to the big picture, and we will see that God has been unquestionably just.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]