While we are young and without experience we think in terms of what's fair - i.e. good things should follow good behavior, bad things should follow bad behavior.
But this does not happen.
Life is not fair.
Often the wicked prosper and the good suffer.
When we experience some contact with God, however, we see things from a different perspective.
God does not reward good behavior and punish bad behavior.
God treats us all equally.
The good and the bad.
God seeks the lost sheep, the black sheep, to redeem them.
No one is destroyed.
No one goes to hell.
God is like a father with a bad child.
He will not reject or condemn the child.
He will try to help.
God sees good in us, even in those we call evil.
And so we stop judging people.
We stop labeling people bad or evil.
We are all equal in the sight of God.
"'Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.'" Luke 15:7 (NRSV)
So we should work towards that end.
Not Judging or punishing.
But forgiving and redeeming.
We should think of ourselves as more fortunate.
We have had the opportunity to draw close to God.
Others have not had the experience necessary for this to happen.
This is not their fault.
So we should tell people the good news.
That all are forgiven.
[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.]
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