Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. Job 2:11-13
Not many days left to write to you in this year, so I need to make every day count. Job's story is one of the more fascinating from the Bible. There is so much that is relevant to our lives today that I can't help but think, "Hey, it's the same with the rest of the Bible too!" Yes, some mornings I'm so brilliant that I amaze even myself. Talk about setting a low bar. Do I get to take credit for my insights? Did I make a good decision and thus get to take personal responsibility? If that is the case then when I write some real garbage I should get to suffer the consequences and take the blame too.
I watched a news story on the NFL and the former players injuries and consequences this morning (I think it aired a few years ago). It is interesting to see those who are successful in life after football dearly wanting it to be about good decisions and personal responsibility, while those who are suffering very much want it to be someone else's fault. Nothing unusual there, in my life those times of suffering are nice for throwing blame (and hoping it will stick) while those times of success or just pain-free living I would like to grab up the credit for a good decision... somewhere back there, not sure where it might be, but didn't I make a right decision once?
I like how Job's friends do their hollering and dust throwing a ways off, but then just come and sit with him, for seven days and nights, without speaking a word. Not sure that any of us would have the patience for that in this age. The argument does ensue however, and much of it is about this very question: where do we get to find fault and where is the credit ours to take? God is the central figure for finding fault with Job, and Job is the faulty one to his friends. That both of them could be wrong does not seem to occur to them, which pretty much describes a lot of arguments in our time. God does not say anything for quite some time as the back and forth between friends goes on. Then, the answer from God.
And, it is not a direct answer we might give, such as that old standard, "I didn't do it." God answers Job and his friends out of the whirlwind, and it is with a series of questions. Kind of a test, if you can answer the least of these then maybe you can judge the Lord. The questions are just beautiful, and go something like, "Where were you, dear Job, when I made all of Creation and the morning stars sang together?" (my paraphrase). Job, as we would be, is left wondering in his ignorance and quite possibly thinking to himself, "Stars sing?"
Yes, God's questions were beyond Job, and they are beyond our knowledge as well. So, maybe when I see a man in his particular condition, I can now think that I do not know whether there is any blame to place upon him if that circumstance is difficult or any credit due him if he has a success. Maybe I can learn not to blame God for my circumstances by studying Job with some diligence. And, ya know, maybe the tough stuff you and I face in this life is just not all our fault either. It may be that, we can repent of the bad decisions, endure the faultless trials that come, rejoice in the right decisions, and give God the glory for all that we are and are becoming in Christ. And maybe one day soon we will get to hear the stars sing!
Love in Christ,Bucky
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