Remember When
When we suffer a downturn, we naturally remind ourselves of what we lost.
Job again took up his discourse and said: "Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; when his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent; when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me; when my steps were washed with milk, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil! When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood; the nobles refrained from talking, and laid their hands on their mouths; the voices of princes were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. When the ear heard, it commended me, and when the eye saw, it approved; because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper. The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made them drop their prey from their teeth. Then I thought, 'I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix; my roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches; my glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever new in my hand.' - Job 29:1-20
Job's lament is that he lost something very precious to him, and it wasn't just his family, as if that is something small to lose.
He lost his dignity and the respect of the community.
That is what he longs for. He wants to be respected again.
He reminds me of Mr. Potter, the grumpy, old despot from "It's A Wonderful Life" who fought so hard to be feared thinking that was the key to being respected.
When everyone in the town was beholding to him, he felt important.
Job is not exactly like Mr. Potter, but he comes close. He did do good things, things that sound like Jesus would approve of, like delivering the poor, and helping the lame and blind, but what was his motive in doing these things?
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
He acted out of pride and self interest, using righteousness and compassion for his own benefit.
When we shine a light on his motive, he becomes a different person. He is, or was, someone whose good deeds were designed to build himself up among his peers and within the community.
So, Job gets pulled down from his high horse, losing all those things that made him important to himself and others.
And no one came to his aid. His friends tried but couldn't make him see that his self image was flawed.
Like Mr. Potter who was pulled down by George Bailey's simple view of life, and family and friends, Job is crushed.
He now will have a chance to life his life differently, when his fortune and family are restored. But will he?
Of will he remember that this was something God did to him for no reason and he deserves to have it all back so he could be respected again?
If the story ended here, I would say he will have learned nothing.
In fact, he might become a bitter old man, angry with his friends and feeling he deserves something from the world.
More to come...