Andy Stanley writes: “Read the Gospels and you will have a difficult time finding even one example of Jesus being fair. He chose twelve apostles from among hundreds of disciples. He gave preferential treatment to three of the twelve. He didn’t heal everyone. He didn’t feed every hungry crowd. He stopped in the middle of a virtual parade and invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Why him?

He ensured that strangers would live and allowed Lazarus to die. And what about the incident at the pool at Bethesda? John tells us that Jesus singled out a single man among “a great number of disabled people… the blind, the lame, the paralysed.” (John 5:3) I don’t mean to be crass, but you can’t help imagine him tiptoeing through the crowd saying, “Pardon me, excuse me, pardon me.” Then he finally reaches the one lucky guy. I say lucky. He had been there for thirty-eight years. Jesus leans down and whispers, “Do you want to get well?” Does he want to get well? Seriously? This must have actually happened. No one would fabricate that question and put it in Jesus’ mouth. The man assures Jesus he does. Jesus heals him. And only him. Then tiptoes back through the crowds of sick people, followed by the healed man carrying his mat. Can you imagine?

Talk about unfair. How about this one: He tells the fellow known as the rich young ruler that in order to gain eternal life, he has to sell everything and join his entourage. Then, a few months later he whispers to the criminal crucified next to him that on that very day they will meet in paradise! Seriously? One guy has to dedicate the rest of his life to Jesus; the other guy gets in with a minute left on the clock?

Somewhere in the midst of Jesus’ seeming lack of fairness and consistency is a clue for how the local church is meant to operate. [Some church leaders] hide behind, “If we do it for one, we will have to do it for everyone.” To which I can hear Jesus shouting, “No you don’t! I didn’t!” If we are not careful, we will end up doing for none because we can’t do for everyone. The better approach is to do for one what you wish you could do for everyone, knowing that everyone is not going to be treated the same way.”

Source: Andy Stanley, Deep and Wide, 2012, Michigan USA, Zondervan, p.76-78

Andy Stanley writes: “Read the Gospels and you will have a difficult time finding even one example of Jesus being fair. He chose twelve apostles from among hundreds of disciples. He gave preferential treatment to three of the twelve. He didn’t heal everyone. He didn’t feed every hungry crowd. He stopped in the middle of a virtual parade and invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Why him?

He ensured that strangers would live and allowed Lazarus to die. And what about the incident at the pool at Bethesda? John tells us that Jesus singled out a single man among “a great number of disabled people… the blind, the lame, the paralysed.” (John 5:3) I don’t mean to be crass, but you can’t help imagine him tiptoeing through the crowd saying, “Pardon me, excuse me, pardon me.” Then he finally reaches the one lucky guy. I say lucky. He had been there for thirty-eight years. Jesus leans down and whispers, “Do you want to get well?” Does he want to get well? Seriously? This must have actually happened. No one would fabricate that question and put it in Jesus’ mouth. The man assures Jesus he does. Jesus heals him. And only him. Then tiptoes back through the crowds of sick people, followed by the healed man carrying his mat. Can you imagine?

Talk about unfair. How about this one: He tells the fellow known as the rich young ruler that in order to gain eternal life, he has to sell everything and join his entourage. Then, a few months later he whispers to the criminal crucified next to him that on that very day they will meet in paradise! Seriously? One guy has to dedicate the rest of his life to Jesus; the other guy gets in with a minute left on the clock?

Somewhere in the midst of Jesus’ seeming lack of fairness and consistency is a clue for how the local church is meant to operate. [Some church leaders] hide behind, “If we do it for one, we will have to do it for everyone.” To which I can hear Jesus shouting, “No you don’t! I didn’t!” If we are not careful, we will end up doing for none because we can’t do for everyone. The better approach is to do for one what you wish you could do for everyone, knowing that everyone is not going to be treated the same way.”

Source: Andy Stanley, Deep and Wide, 2012, Michigan USA, Zondervan, p.76-78