Job’s friends were without mercy! The kept telling him God wouldn’t be punishing him if he hadn’t done something wrong. Job is in pain – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He is grieving deeply and doesn’t understand why all this has happened to him, but he does believe he is in God’s hands. Job begins his response to his friends with sarcasm. “You know everything, don’t you?” In his pain Job tries to help his friends see how they are hurting him, not helping him! “People who are at ease mock those in trouble. They give a push to people who are stumbling.” Job 12:5 NLT.
Job is frustrated with his friends who are speaking from their own wisdom and not God’s wisdom. He would prefer them to remain silent! He asks them, “Are you defending God with lies?” As though God needs to be defended! He tells them their “platitudes are as valuable as ashes,” and their “defense is as fragile as a clay pot.” Job 13:12 NLT This is so full of warning to self-righteousness! Job teaches us what it means to fear God. “Doesn’t His majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of Him overwhelm you?” Job understands that God is powerful and that his friends could be next and not know it! They believe they are protected by their “right living.”
When we speak from a place of self-righteousness, we are believing it is our good works that protect us. Job understands it is God who protects us and allows us to suffer. He is miserable and he wants relief. He wants so badly to talk with God about what he feels is an injustice visited on him that he says, “God might kill me, but I have no other hope.” Job 13:15 NLT Job understands his vulnerability before God – the God who gives breath and knows the number of our days. Job is in a submissive position – like a dog on his back with his belly exposed. He fully trusts God and yet understands God has full authority and power over his very life.
Psalm 14 reminds us that none of us are righteous in our own right. We all need God! Psalm 15 says, “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord?” And then answers … those who speak truth with sincere hearts, refuse to gossip, refuse to harm neighbors, refuse to speak evil of friends… keep promises even when it hurts, lend money without interest, cannot be bribed to lie. While we are busy being self-righteous in our churches, how many of these places do we fail? In the past couple of months, I have seen lies, gossip, harm, and more in our little church alone. How many churches struggle with this? Lord, come and convict us and turn us around! We want to worship you with all our heart and we need to prepare ourselves to do this with repentance!
Self-righteousness is never fruitful. It judges others and harms them without understanding the pain and suffering the other is enduring. It says, “If you live right and make good decisions, no harm will come to you.” And it doesn’t take into account where God is working and that there is an evil force in the world that brings much pain to its victims. Job makes me ask the question, “How can I catch someone who is stumbling rather than push them on down?” What does this look like in our church? In our family? In our neighborhood? Lord, give me eyes to see and wisdom filled with love and mercy to care for those around me and help them get back up!
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