Opinions May Come Back

“Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.” (Job 42:8 AV)

The problem with an opinion is that it may come back to bite us.  Job’s three friends accused Job of sin equal to the circumstances of which he suffered.  One accused him of sin which he had committed.  One accused him of sin he was committing.  The third accused him of sin yet to be committed.  None of Job’s friends entertained that unfortunate circumstances may not have anything to do with sin.  They kicked a good man while he was done.  Now, the LORD is advising them that if Job does not show any mercy, they will suffer for the judgement which they had just passed upon Job.  They will have their lives examined and the LORD will chasten them according to their error. 

It is unfortunate we are quick to opinions and judgments.  There is a saying.  It’s the kettle calling the pot black.  Both are in the fire and both get soot on them.  It is advisable to keep one’s opinion to one’s self if it concerns someone else lest the same judgment be passed upon us.  Spending time with many siblings gave plenty of opportunity to see this truth unfold.  As children, we often diverted (or attempted to divert) our father’s attention away from our faults onto a sibling’s error so that we escaped punishment.  This happened so frequently, it is hard to come up with one example.  We might draw attention to a sibling’s messy room or undone chores so that we didn’t get in trouble for a failing grade.

It is my experience that when an individual is a little too loose with accusations, he probably has something bigger he is trying to hide.  When it comes to leadership or pastors, it is kind of interesting that our least faults are greater than the greatest of our accusers.  We can have a failure of judgement in a small area which to our accuser is far worse than their own egregious sin.  One better show grace lest the LORD require the same judgment upon us!