Chapter 23 of Job is like the worst public shaming you can imagine. Job’s a good man who’s been facing disease, tragedy, and loss, and nobody knows why. But that doesn’t stop people coming up with their own reasons. Three friends show up, pretending they’re there to offer Job comfort. 20 chapters later, they’re openly slandering him to his face. In chapter 22, his friend Eliphaz hits him with blatant lies, actually telling one of the world’s most famous innocents that he crushes the limbs of baby orphans. It’s teeth-grindingly unfair. So, how does Job hold up inside, when people are openly running his name, and his standing with God, through the muck?
Starting right from his (very serious) pain and fear, he builds his faith up by talking all about his relationship with God. He turns on his friends’ lies with the truth. He contends for his relationship with God, using truths about God as a weapon. In chapter 19, he pretty much breaks out into song, declaring over everything his friends are saying, ‘For I know that my redeemer lives!’ So by the time of chapter 23, right when his friends think they have him up against the wall, he can say with certainty and peace: ‘My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.’ He holds fast to God, and keeps his focus on Him, not his accusers.
What now?
Got people on your case, out to take you (and your standing with God) down a notch? You need to find your centre, or you’ll never hold fast like Job. Preach to yourself. Tell yourself truths about your relationship with God.
