Craig Shirley In His Sermon "That's Not Fair" ...

Craig Shirley in his sermon “That’s not fair” tells this story from one of Bill Cosby’s books:

You know, comedian Bill Cosby says that you aren’t really a parent until you have at least two children. When you have only one child and you walk into the room and find the lamp broken, it’s difficult for an only child to say, “It wasn’t me!” The father found himself in the uncomfortable position of having to arbitrate a dispute between his two young sons. The argument was about to boil over into a fight when he decided to step in, hoping to call upon the Wisdom of Solomon. Back and forth the accusations went, accompanied by finger pointing and name-calling. “He started it.” “No, he did.” “Did not!” “Did too!” After a while the father realized that no matter how much “active listening” he did, there was no way this was going to end in a win-win situation, so he made his decision. “Okay,” he said with all the authority he could muster, “both of you – up to your rooms and stay there until you can act as brothers should.” Just as he was feeling pleased with himself he became the target of his son’s anger. “No fair!” the youngest one protested. “He started it. I didn’t. He gets away with everything!” The older one protests “Why should I get punished? It was his fault. He’s such a baby about everything! You’re not fair.” It had turned into a lose/lose situation. Finally, totally at wits end, Dad summed it all up in a very fatherly way. “Hey kids, life’s not fair. Live with it and get to your rooms – now!”