“Why can’t everything go like we want it to?” Alice complained. “It doesn’t seem fair that I have to miss out because someone else is sick.”

Grandpa patted his knee. “You want life fair, my dear? Come over and I’ll tell you a story. Maybe you can tell me if fair really means what is best. It is about a man I will call “Levi”:

It Wasn’t Fair

(Reference: Luke 24:13-35.)

Things had gone terribly wrong in the past week for Levi. Jesus, the Master, had been arrested and condemned to death by the rulers in Jerusalem. The trial hadn’t been one bit fair! Levi thought. Jesus had been the most faithful and true friend anyone could ever have. It was all wrong.

Then, three days after the crucifixion, some of the women started passing around the story that Jesus was risen from the dead. “It can’t be true,” Levi told his friend, Cleopas, as they walked home that afternoon. “What have we to hope in now? And I thought He was the Christ who would have redeemed Israel. It wasn’t right of them to condemn an innocent man.”

“What sad topic is this?” asked a fellow traveler, stepping near.

“You must be a stranger here to not know!” Cleopas said in surprise.

“Know what?” the man asked.

“About Jesus of Nazereth, a prophet of God whose words and deeds are known by all the people,” Cleopas said. The stranger listened to the whole terrible story of how the Master had been betrayed and cruelly killed.

“Some of us went to the tomb to check out the rumour that the women have been telling,” Levi finished. “It was like they said—but He is not there.” There was a hopeless wail in Levi’s voice as he spoke of his dear Master.

With a light in his eyes, the stranger replied, “Fools, don’t you believe the prophets? Why shouldn’t Christ suffer and enter into His glory?”

Levi felt stunned. Didn’t this man care? But as the stranger started quoting the promises about the Christ, his doubt slowly disappeared. Could it be possible that this man was right? “He shall see travail of his soul and shall be satisfied,” the man said. It was as if the Master Himself was there again, showing them the real purposes of life. Jesus Christ had come to suffer—the shame and unfair treatment had all been part of the plan.

As they arrived in the village the man turned to go, but Levi stopped him, “Please stay with us tonight. It is getting late.” And when they sat down to supper, he felt strangely glad. Levi looked at the strong, kind face lifted in blessing, and suddenly he started up with a cry of joy. “Jesus, Master!” But it was in that moment the dear form vanished.

Cleopas’ eyes shone. “It was He! Didn’t your heart rejoice when He was speaking to us on the way and helping us to understand the scriptures?”

Levi nodded and turned to the door. “We must tell the others. Surely the Christ has come and entered into His glory, just as He promised!”

Alice was quiet, thinking back to those disciples so long ago. “Why didn’t they believe that Jesus would rise from the dead?” she asked. “Didn’t He tell them that He was going to die?”

Grandpa smiled. “Yes, but it is often hard for people to believe in things they don’t understand. Like for you to believe that life can go on when your plans are changed.” He chuckled and Alice looked down. Her cheeks grew pink as she thought of how she had been grumbling.

Sammy had been listening from his sick bed on the couch. “I know why Jesus died,” he said. “He wanted to give us white hearts.”

“Well, I guess they didn’t know that,” Alice said slowly. “It really didn’t seem right to kill Jesus when He was so good. They didn’t understand that it was all what God had planned.”

“And it was all for good, even though they felt everything had gone wrong,” said Grandpa. “God can work all things for good to us, too. We just need to remember His plans are better than ours. Even when it doesn’t seem like it.”

Alice looked at her little brother. “I’m sorry for complaining. I guess you don’t want to be sick much either. I think God wants me not to be so selfish,” she said with a little smile.