Today's readings are Job 8.1-22 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Job+8.1-22 ) and John 4.27-45 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=John+4.27-45 ).
Job chapter 8 is a challenging chapter. Aside from having an address by the shortest man in the Bible, we have to weigh Bildad's statements very carefully. What does conventional wisdom say about people who endure suffering? They must have done something wrong. Before we are too quick to agree with Bildad, let's look at two important implications of his claim.
First, we want to confess without reservation that all people except Jesus sin. And as a corrolary to that, we confess that there is not one single person in the history of the planet who has not endured hardship. Some people endure more, some less, but none is exempt, including Jesus.
Here we might become uncomfortable with Bildad. An orthodox Christian cannot say that Jesus' suffering came about from Jesus' sin. We might be able to grant it of everyone else but not of Jesus.
Our second logical implication is that a lack of suffering is directly related to our doing good. Yet many times good things happen and we cannot relate them directly to good we or anyone else has done.
So we have at least two significant problems with applying what Bildad says. How should Job receive what this friend says? First he should remember that sin is real and that he may need to consider his heart, confessing sin to the Lord. Yet he should also cast his care on the Lord, knowing that this affliction he is enduring may be for his sanctification and to show God's glory to others. Job may never know the impact of his suffering on the world.
Lord, don't let us waste our trials.
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