Own It

“Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.” (Job 31:35-36 AV)

Job’s contention throughout the book is the circumstances of his life are not understood in light of him fearing God and eschewing evil.  Job is assuming that his misfortune must be punishment for sins committed, yet he cannot come up with sin egregious enough to justify his situation.  What Job is stating above is that if the LORD were to write a book of all the transgressions which justify his situation, he would gladly and publicly own it!  He would bear is indictment like a Boy Scout sash over the shoulder for all to see his faults, or like a crown upon his head for all to identify him with the errors of his ways.  In other words, Job is not asking for the LORD to justify His actions as much as it is he wants to know what he did so that he can own it.

How refreshing!  A saint of God who actually wants to know what he did wrong so he can own up to it and be identified with it.  Rather than hide his faults, he wants to declare that he has them.  He wants to identify publicly with his shame so that God’s actions are justified before all.  This is Job’s desire.

As refreshing as that might be, and admirable for all to emulate, there are times when our guilty conscience can get the better of us.  Not all bad things happen because we were bad.  There is persecution.  There are trials of faith.  There are consequences of from the choices of other people from which we suffer as a secondary participant.  It is a really good thing to ask the LORD to reveal any and all faults which the cause of our situation may be.  In fact, it should be the first thing we do.  And we should own it!  But, if there is no sinful cause for our situation, then maybe we should consider another possibility.  Always own what you are!  Never try to hide it.  God knows even if we do not!  But if there is no cause for chastisement, maybe it is an opportunity to learn faith.