Read Job 21:1-34
Job’s friends talk of the curse of wickedness as a wakeup call to get Job to repent. Job sees it differently. Job sees the wicked living what appear to be abundant lives. His friends want to put Job in the camp of the wicked, assuming that is why he is being punished. Those arguments only lead Job into more confusion.
I agree with Job. When we look around at the godless, wicked people of our day, we don’t see doom and gloom. What do we see? We see successful people, people living without a care in the world. Like Job observes, they think their good fortune is because of their own doing. The wicked don’t know or even acknowledge God. Yet their lives look idyllic.
Sadly, we’ve all known people who think they are fine without God. Does that make them evil? As they live their lives of prosperity, they see no reason for God. That breaks my heart, especially when those people are friends and family. God loves all his children and wants a relationship with each one of us.
No level of pain is easier for us to identify with than what Job is voicing in this response. It’s easy for us to look around and see others with more than we have and wonder why. We’ve probably been comparing ourselves to others since we were children playing on the playground. In adulthood, we may look longingly at our neighbor’s new car as our own jalopy sputters. We’ve all done it. Imagine how painful it is for Job to look around him, realizing how much he has lost.
Job used to be the one people looked at with envious eyes. Now he is the one doing the looking. However, it’s unfair to assume that all prosperous people are wicked. In Job’s situation, however, his perspective is a bit overloaded with grief and confusion.
Job is struggling to understand why God hasn’t responded. Job wants an explanation that makes sense. His friends are spouting lots of words that Job calls “lies.” Job responds in this way. “‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!’ But I say he should punish the ones who sin, so that they understand his judgment.”
There will be judgment one day for all. I wonder if Job knew that. God has given us his word to help us understand what behaviors please and displease him. Even more, God sent his only Son, Jesus, into this world to redeem us from those sins. That’s a hope and a promise we can trust.
Let’s pray. LORD, thank you for every blessing you have given me. May I not take you for granted. Forgive me when I compare myself to others and have thoughts that are not helpful. I feel honored to be your child given the mission you have for me. You are my king. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
