Taking Our Licks

“Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” (Job 40:6-8 AV)

Another thought occurred as I read this passage.  It is almost the same as chapter 39.  Yesterday, we remarked that only God can get away with telling someone who had suffered as Job to grow up and stop complaining.  But here is another thought.  The fact Job took this from the LORD without reacting in anger, rebellion, or resentment speaks to his depth of character and spiritual maturity.  In fact, the Bible tells us a little later that Job abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes after the LORD rebuked him.  The measure of a man’s character is how much rebuke he can sustain.

A normal person would have to be consoled months and years on end before he can be told there might have been a spiritual objective to the hardship just suffered.  It is more the norm for a person to get angry at pointed rebuke and head on down the road, seeking the affirmation he desires rather than face his spiritual needs.  Most who are soundly rebuked in the privacy of a church service will get offended and go down the road where the preacher will let them live their lives without any interference. 

I sat in a pastor’s office once who had no children of his own.  He proceeded to rebuke me for my lack of parental discipline towards my sons.  I sat there for fifteen minutes as he attempted to instruct me on how I was letting my sons run the house.  He had some valuable insight, but most of it was not applicable.  In fact, the LORD has allowed my wife and I to raise three preachers.  So, it appears as though we did a few things right.  But here is the point.  I never left his church!  He was my best friend!  Even though he rebuked me, I sat there at took it.  When God rebukes, how we react reveals much of our maturity and character.