Job 27:3-6,11: "As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit. I will never admit you are right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go. I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal."
If there has ever been a person who has endured just about every type of misfortune in life, it would be Job. In a single day, this highly respected, wealthy, righteous man from Uz lost his 10 children and many servants to tragic deaths, and he lost his wealth to invaders and fire. Soon thereafter, Job was afflicted with painful sores all over his body. Job was a pathetic sight to be sure!
To add fuel to misery, Job was abandoned by his friends and family, who believed that his misfortune was the result of some egregious sin in his life (see the words of Eliphaz in Job 4:8). This once respected man in the community was now the subject of scorn and ridicule by his people. Even his wife could not stand the smell that his body emitted and kept her distance. And little boys playing in the streets would make fun of the afflicted man when he passed by (see Job 19:17-19).
Whereas Job was not able to control his circumstances that were before him, he determined in his heart not to perpetrate evil in his heart. He would speak no deceit against the Lord; nor would he conclude that the deplorable conditions were justly due him. This man of God was determined to hold on to his righteousness and continue to exalt the power and majesty of the Lord Almighty.
Of course, we know the rest of the story in that God later rewarded Job for his faithfulness and exalted the once despised man with many riches and descendants. But what is most telling in this book of Scripture is Job's resolve to remain faithful to the Lord no matter the circumstance.
This is a great word for us today. Who are we when misfortune comes calling? Are we angered with God that such events would come our way? Are we apt to forsake our allegiances to the Lord, thinking that our commitments to Him are not being recognized and rewarded?
We must remember that trials are inevitable in our lives. We must remain faithful to the Lord in the midst of our tribulations, knowing that He will be with us through the circumstance and He will provide peace as we traverse those perilous paths of pain and difficulty.
If we really want to know who we truly are, we only need to wait for the trials of life and see how we respond. Let's be people deeply committed to the Lord, keeping our eyes upon our Savior and trusting that He will get us through our painful situations.
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