Ethical Principles From Job's Defense

 

 

Job 31:2-4 For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? 

 Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? 
Does he not see my ways and count my every step?

 

Job’s defense against the misguided accusations of his friends is a good statement of ethical principles for us all—a good reminder of some of what it looks like to live the Golden Rule [Lk.6:31].  You may recall that Job had lost everything: family, wealth, social prestige and physical health. And his friends were convinced that it was because of his hidden sin. They were mistaken. Even God had declared his righteousness [Job 1:8].  In his striving to understand his condition, he offers to God and to his friends his understanding of himself and of his way in the world. We can be guided by what he describes.

First, he acknowledges that it is worse than useless to do evil: it leads to “ruin” and “disaster”. We can rationalize evil, but we can never make it work for us in the long haul.  God sees and knows all—including the secret motivations of our heart. He not only knows what we do, He knows why we do it.

And it’s important for us to ask Him to reveal our motives to us, and to continue to eliminate selfishness from our personalities. For example, we can be more focused on impressing people [even with how “good” or “spiritually mature” or “intelligent’ we are] than on loving them with Christ’s Love. God knows this.  [And what a blessing it is when we allow the Holy Spirit to ferret out another cankerous pocket of selfishness in our personalities, confess it openly, and receive the glorious gift of His graceful forgiveness.]

Job recognized the danger and futility of lust [31:1]. Most of us have esperienced the difficulty and pain of lust. And what a relief it can be to make a once-and-for-all covenant of faithfulness to our spouse, and to continually turn away from desiring that which can only lead to hurt and guilt or worse. Satan, through various media, continually holds out sexuality like a tempting carrot on the end of a stick. The carrot has hooks and poison in it, as many have discovered.  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell [Prov. 5:5].

Job also recognized the futility of falsehood and deceit [31:5]. Most sin leads ultimately to these, since we are ashamed and feel the need to hide it. We can descend into a habitual pattern of deceit and forget what it’s like to feel free from the paranoid-like fears of being “found out” that lurk always under the surface of a deceptive lifestyle.

Job realized that the same God that created him had also created his servants [employees, hired help, etc.]; and he recognized his accountability to God for how he treated them. He did not use his power over them to degrade or take advantage of them. He listened to their grievances, and took them to heart if they had merit. He was not a harsh master.[31:13-15].

Job did not ignore the poor, orphans or widows. He purposely ministered to them. He did not use his considerable authority to use or take advantage of the poor; contrarily, he used it on their behalf. He stood up for the powerless [31:16-21].  Job, before his testing, was a man of great wealth and power. But he did not put his trust in his wealth, nor did he brag about being a self-made man. He recognized that God was the source of all blessings, and knew that it could all be taken away in a moment—as had happened in his life [1:21;31:24-25]. Job carefully avoided the idols of his day. He did not allow his heart to place anything above the one true God Who created all [31:26-28].

Job did not rejoice in the demise or destruction of those who hated him. He did not wish ill will [“wish a curse”] upon anyone, no matter how evil they might be [31:29-30].  He cared for the needs of those in his own household, as well as the stranger in the street [31:31-32].  He had nothing to hide from God or man—nothing to be ashamed of or that he feared being discovered that would damage his integrity [31:33-34]. But he did not glory in his integrity, rather only in God Who had blessed him so richly.

We can see how God would describe him as righteous. And we can use his commitments and behaviors as models for our own. We have now what Job did not have: the advantage of Christ, His Love and His Spirit to empower us to live out this goodness, truth and integrity. And we have His wonderful promises of abundant life, peace, joy and eternal life as we walk in His Way.

May we live today in the Light of His goodness and these promises.