What Really Matters?

One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Job.  There is something about the way that Job suffered despite his righteousness that appeals to me.  The sovereignty of God, the antagonism of Satan, the desperation of a man attacked by forces he cannot control or understand, the misery of that man as he finds himself forsaken by friends and family, and the confusion of that man as he isn't even sure whether his God still cares for him or not, all wrapped up in the beauty of poetry.  The book of Job talks about the events of life that all of us face, just as the other wisdom books in Scripture, Proverbs, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes, but with one major difference.  The difference in the wisdom of Job is that it is not just songs or sayings or a thought out dissertation on the importance of wisdom, it is the story of a man's life and the wisdom gleaned from that life as it was lived in history.

One of the lessons I have been thinking about lately from the book of Job comes from an old insight that was brought to my attention.  I honestly cannot remember who brought this particular point to my attention.  Most likely it was my father.  While he did not teach me everything I know about theology and Scripture, he certainly taught me a great deal.  The insight was simply this: Job was never told why all of his misfortunes came upon him.

Often people make this point as they seek to illustrate that Scripture does not apologize for what God does.  They are right about that, of course.  Scripture never seeks to defend God from the charge that he allows evil or does evil.  Scripture simply presents the reality that God does what he wants to do and is sovereign over all things.  Thus, while the writers of Scripture are certainly aware of the problem of evil, that seemingly wicked things happen to seemingly righteous individuals, their answer is only that God is control of all things.  Job definitely agrees with this perspective, as God's final interaction with Job reminds Job that he is but a man, and should not question the sovereign will and authority of the one who made him.

But, this point, that Scripture does not seek to defend God against the charge of evil, and the way that Job's problem is eventually resolved, simply by God's choosing to bless him at the end of the story, brings another point to mind.  That point is best addressed by the question, "What really matters?"  Was it Job's possessions, his health, his friendships or his family that really mattered at the end of the book?  Yes, Job got all of those things back, and in the case of his possessions he received double, but was that the point of the book?

The real point of the book is not Job's suffering.  It is not Job's loss or his righteousness.  All that Job suffers and endures is but the backdrop for the conversation, which builds to one specific point: the glory of God.  What really matters in Job, the crucial point that we must grasp, is that no matter what happens, God is worthy of worship and praise.

Consider why Elihu was angry with Job.  Job sought to defend his own righteousness instead of God's.  Elihu was not concerned that Job might have sinned in some way, Elihu was not concerned that Job might be accusing God of some wickedness or misbehavior.  Elihu was concerned that the righteousness of God was not being proclaimed by a suffering Job.

Think of that.  Elihu wanted Job to put aside his own pain and suffering and give God glory for who he is.  Elihu waited patiently before saying anything because of the wisdom of his elders, but finally his patience gave way as the older men became silent.  Consider how the text introduces Elihu to us: But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. (Job 32:2)  Elihu understood that what was really important was not that Job's integrity should be defended, but that God's character should be declared.

What is really important is not that any of us are ever vindicated in this life.  We may be persecuted, rightly or wrongly.  We may be poor, or we may be rich.  We may suffer, or we may seem to pass through life with ease and comfort our consistent friends, but what does any of that matter?  Our lives, if we live one hundred years or one thousand years, are still brief, and not worth comparing to the history of the world.  What really matters is that we proclaim the goodness of God, the glory of God, and the character of God, so that he may be made known throughout all the world.

We are not seeking to defend God, he is not in need of our weak protestations.  We are seeking to justify God in our lives, to give him the glory of his work on our behalf.  We seek to vindicate God before those who would question his justice or his integrity, not by mere arguments, but by acknowledging that all that is done is done according to his wisdom.  Job failed to do this in his arguments.

Job argued that he was righteous, he argued that if he could bring his argument before God, then maybe he could convince God to let him alone.  But that mode of thought fails to realize that God knows full well what he is doing, and does not need to be counseled or advised in any way.

Does God not know our predicament?  Is he ignorant of our plight?  Is our suffering somehow lost on the God who created us and who acts with all righteousness?  Why then would we think that we could bring argument against him to make him change his mind?  Instead of thinking we can advise God, we ought to tell everyone of how good God is, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.

Perhaps Job began with some understanding of this reality.  When Job lost his children and his possessions he tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshiped God.  Even when Job lost his health and his wife turned on him advising him to curse God and die, Job said to her, "Should we accept good from God and not evil?" (Job 2:9)  And though Job never sinned against God or accused God of anything improper, in the midst of the accusations from his friends, Job seems to have forgotten the goodness of God and that he is worthy of worship, no matter what happens in our lives.

Is it enough to be righteous?  No matter how good we may be, we will never be pure and holy as God is pure and holy.  No matter how just and righteous we may be, we will always be filthy compared to the spotless person of our God.  Because of this, ought we not give God the glory in every situation?  No matter what we suffer, it cannot diminish the wonder of God, so do not be overcome with evil, but overcome every evil situation with good, remembering the God we serve will vindicate us at the coming of Christ, so we do not need to vindicate ourselves, especially not before him.