**This is a semi-political post, so proceed at your own risk :)**
I've stayed pretty mum on all of the goings on in Washington since the election last year. The last thing I want is for this to be a place of conflict and hurt feelings, which political discussions always seem to result in, so I've tried to focus more on the goings on of our little family. I'm venturing into this dangerous world today, though, because I've been thinking a lot about how the current situations relate to the Easter story, and it's brought me a lot of comfort about many things which I can not control. Please allow me to share, if you will.
Without dwelling too much on the specifics (you all hear the news - who can get away from it these days??), it goes without saying that I share the fears and frustrations of many Americans about the lightning speed at which the government seems to be interfering in private enterprises. I know many of you who read this blog are enraged at some of the recent actions of our government and your employers. I share your concerns, and it would be very easy for me to be angry and miserable all of the time as I watch these scary things happen to a country I love. Many things seem so unfair and unjust, and I feel so powerless to do anything to make it right. I imagine that those of you facing pay cuts, job losses, and broken promises from your employers and elected representatives are feeling much the same way.
As I've spent some time trying to make sense of these feelings, I've realized that there was once a group of people who may have felt very similar emotions - multiplied times a gazillion. This Friday, we are going to celebrate the most unfair, unjust, anger-provoking act of mankind that the world has ever known. The current goings on, although they feel huge right now, must pale in comparison to the rage that I imagine Mary and the disciples must have felt as they watched their precious, innocent, gentle Jesus hanging on a cross, while an evil murderer walked free at the hands of their government and the will of their people. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how senseless that must have seemed. How the people "on Jesus' side" must have felt so powerless and so broken and so discouraged by that single injustice. How Mary must have been so confused that a world, and even a God she loved could allow such an atrocity to occur. I can't imagine what it must have been like to watch her own child die a brutal, painful death while the masses cheered. It must have felt so very unfair.
And yet, almost two thousand years later, we call the day of this most disgusting act "Good Friday." Not "Black Friday," not "Unfair Friday," not "The Friday That Should Never Have Been." Good Friday. Christians celebrate this whole weekend every year with new clothes, family dinners, candy, and toys. We are as happy about this "atrocity" as we are about the miraculous birth of a precious, perfect baby boy, which we celebrate with elaborate gifts and parties each December. Why are we so excited about this "unfairness"? Because our God, who knows things that we can't see at the moment, took the most hateful, awful, horrible, unfair event in the history of mankind and brought the most beautiful, wonderful, loving gift out of it - eternal life to those who least deserve it. I personally benefited unspeakably from this injustice, and I am quite grateful for that corrupt government that helped pave my road to heaven so long ago.
So, this week, when I start to get angry about the latest news story or broken promise, I'm going to think about the abomination that occurred so many years ago and thank God that sometimes, life just isn't fair.
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