Aha and Gotcha’s of Job

When someone exhibits great endurance through all kinds of trials, annoyances, or provocations, we say that person has “the patience of Job.”  To me It’s like giving that person ten Aha’s (love, forgiveness) to get rid of that one Gotcha; let me explain,Gotcha for some, is a short step from I-caught-you-doing-something-morally-you-oughtn’t! Humm! Or should it really mean I got your back!The slang is applied to those who nobly persevere with help from a friend in the face of overwhelming hardships. 

Over time I have learned that Moralism (Gotcha’s) cannot replace the gospel. We are all sinners in need of God’s forgiveness and grace. Moralism has no power to justify or sanctify a sinner. We are saved by grace, through faith in Christ Ephesians 2:8 not by keeping a moral code. Are Christians to live morally? Yes, absolutely. Is God concerned with behavior? Yes, certainly. Can a moral life replace a person’s need for repentance and faith in Christ? No, it cannot. Moralism/Gotcha’s are no substitute for the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.

The expression, “The Patience of Job” has its origin in James 5:10-11:“Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

Just recently, we finished a bible study at church about Job. In the book of Job my reflectional thoughts find four well intentional caring men of faith, love, spirited intellect who speak too soon, say too much, and said the wrong things to Job during a time of trials and suffering. It even seems they may have tackled a task too big for themselves in discussing Job’s problems. Some would even say they gave counseled to Job who was in utter despair but made his despair worst. But wait a minute as I studied Job it seemed to me to many of us over looked Job 2:11-13. The lesson I learned from these two verses was about listening and time needed; you see the friends spend a total of seven days before they said a word. They mourned with him, mingle their tears with his, and comforted him. To me that was not enough time for Job.

I would have liked for the friends to broaden the time for listening for Job before giving him some moral advise. As a man of Patience, myself, (ha ha), It’s is a luxury to know,” It has always been much more pleasant to visit with those in affliction to whom comfort belongs than those to whom we must first speak conviction. Meaning “what they need is a listening ear with time as well as advice when they are ready! I thought to myself, I wished we had had more discussion or question about the importance’s of those two verses about being Patience to Job? How about You?

“Listen before you answer. If you don't, you are being stupid and insulting”. Proverbs 18:13

“Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So, they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great”. Job 2: 11–13
 
Job’s friends wanted to help. They felt his pain and were horrified to see a friend in such need. Mercifully, they kept their mouths shut for one whole week. They sat with their friend and listened.
 
These friends realized an important truth: People don’t lose intimacy when they stop talking, but when they stop listening. We as Christians friends seldom realize how much their listening empowers the other person. Because we care and what to put our love into action, the sheer act of listening speaks volumes that even a great tongue can’t communicate.

Still today, the patience of Job serves as an inspiration to People who face times of struggle and suffering. No matter what happens, we are called to follow Job’s example as we patiently (Listen) endure in service and worship to the Lord, remembering that our God is “full of compassion and mercy” James 5:11. 

God Bless You and This Ministry!