READING:
One-year plan: Job 32-34
Two-year plan: Proverbs 6:12-7:27, 2 Corinthians 3
———
At times our words are right, but our spirit is wrong. In today’s reading, Elihu finally speaks in response to Job’s words. Elihu may have been the youngest of Job’s friends, but that youthfulness didn’t stop him from judging Job just like the others did. He was angry with Job for his self-righteousness, and he was mad at the other friends because they had no answer for Job.
Nevertheless, Elihu did have some understanding of who God is. Job thought God was unjust, but Elihu claimed otherwise (thus supporting his position that Job’s problems were the result of his sin). God, said Elihu, does no wrong, is fair to people, does not pervert justice, is impartial toward all, sees all things, and holds people accountable for their life. In fact, if God were to withdraw “his spirit and breath, all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust” (Job 34:14-15). We would have no life and no hope were it not for God’s giving us breath and extending us mercy.
So, Elihu was right in many ways. His bottom line argument, however — that is, that Job obviously was guilty of sin that brought on his misery — carried no truth. Job really was a man who was blameless and upright. Elihu’s poor understanding of godly suffering got in the way of his ministering to Job, and that reality makes it hard to listen to his words in these chapters.
Here’s my point: we need to do our homework before we accuse somebody of sin when life hurts. It’s possible to have a good understanding of who God is while having a poor understanding of what’s really happening in somebody else’s life. When we jump to conclusions without considering the possibilities, we run the risk of judging too quickly and understanding God’s hand too slowly.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you ever judge a situation too quickly?
PRAYER: “God, help me to be wise toward others.”
TOMORROW’S READING:
One-year plan: Job 35-37
Two-year plan: Proverbs 8, 2 Corinthians 4
MEMORIZATION VERSE (June 1-15)
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.” (Psa 143:10)
*first published in 2016
