Profile of Job: How to Handle Success

The first half of Job chapter 1- You guys you guys you guys!!!!! We’re not in Genesis anymore. I want to go chronologically from now on, so Job is next. Job is ancient, so much so that translators had trouble with it. Some of these words have just been completely lost. Context saves the day with a lot of them.

Job probably existed around the time Abraham did. Some people think it was around the time of Jacob and Esau. Either way, it was a long time ago. Job is a book of Hebrew poetry. No one knows who wrote it, but I like to think it WASN’T Job. If a rich dude wrote a whole book about what a good guy he was, that would cause some serious eye rolls. It doesn't sound like him.

What made Job so awesome that God used him as an example to Satan of the best humanity had to offer? What did Job do and have that set him apart and awarded him the dubious honor of being this example of faith through hardship? 

Tim Kelller said in a sermon you might remember that the two biggest tests in this life are success and suffering. In chapter one, we see that Job has passed that first one. He’s handled power, wealth, and blessings well. To whom much is given, much is expected. Job was not a Jew, but he knew God. Kind of like the first priest, Melchizedeck. This is one of the first recorded relationships with God. 

Job was one of those people who did the best with the information he was given about God, even though he didn’t know the whole story. People can have a good relationship with God apart from religion if their eyes are open and they want to see it. That’s yet another reason why you can’t judge who truly knows God. You don't know what they've heard and what they've accepted or rejected. You don't know how much they have sought or how much they can take in. 

Job didn’t pray the sinner’s prayer or believe every part of some church’s doctrine. But he was committed to trusting in a higher power and acting in alignment with what is good and true. The Bible calls him blameless and upright, saying that he feared God and shunned evil. “Blameless” doesn’t mean “perfect.” It means that Job lived a life that gave him a good reputation. He's trusted. 

Although he doesn’t have access to the laws of Leviticus, Job knows, like many ancient people, that sinning puts a human so that he is not right with God and a sacrifice must be made. This is one of those universal truths that multiple ancient societies picked up on. Job would make sacrifices for his children after they threw birthday parties, so that they would be purified just in case they forgot themselves during the celebrations. 

There's no evidence that Job's children partied too much or engaged in debauchery. This is just how careful Job was to not offend God. He made these sacrifices as a precaution, thinking, “Maybe my kids sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job served as a head of his household, a priest, and a mediator between God and his family. Job’s children invited each other to their birthday parties, showing that they had close sibling relationships and enjoyed each other’s company. 

When we meet Job, he has ten children (which was more valued in that culture than in this one and would give Job great status) and a large estate. The Bible says that Job was the wealthiest man in the East. This is so impressive to me, because usually a rich man’s heart is consumed by his money. Usually powerful people are oblivious to others’ needs and the fact that they are not God. This also proves that you CAN have money and success and still keep God #1 in your life. But man, that’s got to be so rare. Camel, needle. 

We find out later that Job was a generous man. We find out that he took in orphans, argued against injustice and greed in local courts, and personally cared for the sick, handicapped, and dying. Part of being able to stay upright when you are rich is being generous. And don’t think you aren’t rich: you are in the top 1% of wealth in the history of the world. You’re sitting at a computer, reading this. Even if you have financial worries or aren’t wealthy compared to others in your life, you’re rich. 

God is about to give Job the other test, the test no one wants. The test of success is the one everyone thinks they can handle. The thought goes: "God should give me this position/resource. I would use it for him, unlike the worldly people I see with power. If I was just given this opportunity, I could serve God." People pray for God to use them. But I ask...and this is something I ask myself too...would we really do that well? 

I was reading the new Dresden Files book by Jim Butcher (that I mostly hated, but the other books in that series are good), and the main character said, "See, that's the tragedy of the human condition. No one wants to be corrupted by power when they set out to get it. They have good, even noble reasons for doing whatever it is they do. They don't want to misuse it, they don't want to abuse it, and they don't want to become vicious monsters. Good people, decent people, set out to take the high road, to pick up power without letting it change them or push them away from their ideals. But it keeps happening anyway. History is full of it. As a rule, people aren't good at handling power. And the second you start to think you're better at controlling your power than anyone else, you've already taken the first step."

That line hit me because, deep down, I do think I can handle power better than most other people. But when I look at what I've done with the power I already have, that I often don't realize I have, I'm not impressed. I have the opportunity to brighten the days of others, to keep in better touch with my loved ones, to serve, to put time into my relationships, and to share. These are opportunities I pass up on a daily basis. I worry about losing what I have or not getting what I want. 

I think I can handle power? I can't even be a good steward over my Toyota by keeping it clean. I don't take care of the body I grew up in because I stuff it full of Baconators and don't exercise. I cringe when I have to pay for my brother's meal at Burger King. I procrastinate and waste a powerful resource, time. And I'm rich. I have a car, clean water, an education (too much education, probably), freedom, choices, and health. Am I passing this test? I can't be certain. Sure, I've done good things too, but I can always do better before I start asking God for more to handle. It's fine to want God to use you and do great things with your life, but maybe he's already trying to more than you think.

As always, "trying harder" isn't the solution. Fearing God is. Remember what God did for you is. Trying to see others and material things as God does works better than beating yourself up. Letting God mold your heart and spending time getting to know him is what changes people, not guilt or pressure. Because the great tests aren't testing how good or disciplined you are; they are testing what position/place God has in your life and how much faith you place in him to take care of you.