It’s not fair!

You are going to run into situations at college that aren’t fair.

You study hard. A classmate doesn’t study. They still get better grades than you.

You’ve been a good friend to someone, and they talk about you behind your back.

You are in a relationship, and the other person cheats on you.

You can’t acquire the things you desire. Others take those things for granted.

You are short on friends. Others are popular.

Unfairness happens in a hundred different ways, and it’s no fun to experience — except in one instance. Rejoice that God treats you unfairly. If God was fair, He’d give us exactly what we deserve, which is punishment for our sins. Instead, God deals with us unfairly, in a way that we don’t deserve — with grace.

In the story of the Vineyard Owner (Matthew 20:1-16), the man who owned the vineyard went out in the morning to find workers. He agreed to pay them a denarius (a full day’s pay), and they agreed to the wages. Later in the day, the man went out to find more workers and told them he would pay them what was right; they agreed to his offer. Finally, the owner went out at the end of the day to hire still more workers.

At quitting time, all of the workers received the same denarius. Whether they worked all day or only for an hour, they all received a full day’s wage. The ones who worked all day grumbled, saying it wasn’t fair. The vineyard owner replied he was not unfair to anyone. It was his money to do with as he wished, and he wished to be generous.

The denarius can be seen as representing Christ’s work as our substitute. He earned a full day’s wage for us with his sinless perfection, which buy our tickets to heaven through faith. Christ’s sacrifice was so complete that no more is needed. Likewise, one can’t make change out of Christ’s sacrifice and break it down into pennies, nickels, dimes or quarters. It is always — only — 100 percent complete for all who receive it.

If anyone could complain about being treated unfairly, Christ could make a good case for Himself. Of all the people who ever walked the world, Jesus was the only one who didn’t deserve to reap the wages of sin — death. He was sinless. Yet, Christ embraced the unfairness of that due to His love for us. It was the only way to earn our salvation.

When life treats you unfairly at college, don’t wallow in self-pity. Reflect and rejoice in God’s unfairness and the gracious promises that come with it. Take your problem to God in prayer. Then face the day in faith. Be still and know that God is LORD of all and an ever-present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46). If Christ paid the ultimate price for you, so that you can spend eternity with Him in heaven, He is certainly not going to abandon His investment. He is always working all things out for your good (Romans 8:28).