Am I Enough – Zophar Speaks – A Little Truth

Greetings Dear Reader,

Once again one of Job’s friends begins to goad Job.  There is truth in what he says.  God’s wisdom is above our wisdom.  God does see everything.  There is no limit to God.  One cannot invest too much in these truths.  It is knowledge of these things that allows faith to function. 

Zophar is also guilty of misjudging Job.  We know that Job is righteous.  Zophar joins with the other two in assuming that Job has some hidden sin that makes him a hypocrite.  He is right in his solution.  If we are guilty of sin the right thing to do is to pray and remove the sin.  Good solutions can only proceed from correct diagnosis.

I am sure that this is one reason why Christ cautioned us so severely about judging others.  When we decide that others must have a secret sin that has brought about calamity we limit compassion.  We judge without evidence.  We accuse without knowledge.

It does not matter how true my understanding of God is if I do not apply his rules for dealing with others.  Zophar is rude to Job.  I must be loving, respectful, and kind.  I must accuse someone without evidence and that should be done in love as well. 

All truth is God’s truth.  The truth, however, is not meant to be a hammer.  Everything about following Christ is intended to guide us into the freedom found in truth.  I must not mince words. I must not accuse without evidence.  I must not judge others when I have my own sin to contend with before God.

I must not fail to acknowledge truth and respond in faith to that truth.  If I find that I am wrong then I must not quibble over words.  I must not redefine what I said so that it fits what I want.  I must do what is right.  If, however, the truth is on my side I must assure that I hold to that truth in faith.  I must not be harsh with others.  I must speak the truth in love.   

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."

Job 11:1-20

Then Zophar from Naama replied to Job,

"Shouldn't someone answer this flood of words? Should a good public speaker be acquitted?  Should your empty talk silence others so that you can make fun of us without any shame?  You say, 'My teaching is morally correct,' and, 'As you can see, I'm innocent.'  I only wish God would speak and open his mouth to talk to you. He would tell you the secrets of wisdom, because true wisdom is twice as great as your wisdom, and you would know that God forgets your sin.

"Can you discover God's hidden secrets, or are you able to find the Almighty's limits?  God's wisdom is higher than heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than the depths of hell. What can you know?  It is longer than the earth and wider than the sea. If God comes along and imprisons someone and then calls a court into session, who can stop him?  He knows who the scoundrels are. And when he sees sin, doesn't he pay attention to it?  But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame”.

"If you want to set your heart right, then pray to him.  If you're holding on to sin, put it far away, and don't let injustice live in your tent.  Then you will be able to show your face without being ashamed, and you will be secure and unafraid.  Then you will forget your misery and remember it like water that has flowed downstream.  Then your life will be brighter than the noonday sun. The darkness in your life will become like morning.  You will feel confident because there's hope, and you will look around and rest in safety.  You will lie down with no one to frighten you, and many people will try to gain your favor.  But the wicked will lose their eyesight. Their escape route will be closed. Their only hope is to take their last breath."