Job
19 helps us understand the often repeated expression, “Now I know
who my friends really are”. It reminds me of the first rule of
managing people; “praise in public, criticize in private”. Job
explains his predicament in heart-wrenching terms. He blasts his
friends for their repeated attacks against his character. The
chapter begins with Job’s reply to his sorry friends. “How
long will you torment me and crush me with words?
Ten
times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me“.
It is hard to imagine the experience. Job lost his children, his
wealth and his health in the span of a few days, and his friends
simply pile on with accusations. Job describes an all too common
human reaction to people in crisis. “You
would exalt yourselves above me and
use
my humiliation against me“.
It is important to point out that humiliation involves public
ridicule. It exposes an individual’s vulnerabilities for all to
see. It is very easy to kick someone when they are down, but what is
the benefit?
In Luke 14:11, Jesus taught His followers, “For
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted.
Then
Job insists that he has no fault before God. It is interesting to
note, the only real error Job made, was not recognizing the source of
the attacks. He says, “God
has wronged me“.
And Job adds “I
get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice“.
It is interesting that Job did exactly what his friends had done to
him. He begins to accuse God. “He
has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head… He
tears me down… His anger burns against me; He counts me among His
enemies“.
Then Job tells us the results, “My
kinsmen have gone away; my friends have forgotten me… count me a
stranger…
I summon my servant, but he does not answer, though I beg him… I am
loathsome to my own brothers… those I love have turned against me“.
Job ends with a sign that he has been greatly humbled.
“Have
pity on me, my friends“.
Humility is an internal recognition of another’s comparative
greatness. Job understands that while he does not understand
everything, he know that God has perfect understanding and is in
control. Humility adds proper perspective.
Notice
how Job reacts,
“Oh, that my words were recorded…
they
were inscribed with an iron tool… engraved in rock forever“.
And what are the words Job desires to be recorded forever? “I
know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon
the earth… yet in my flesh I will see God…
with
my own eyes.“
Job
can hardly contain his joy.
“How
my heart yearns within me! Job
ends with a warning to all who enjoy the humiliation of others. “If
you say, ‘How we will hound him, since the root of the trouble lies
in him, you
should fear the sword yourselves; for wrath will bring punishment by
the sword, and then you will know that there is judgment“.
Philippians
2:9-11
declared to the whole world that in the end, everyone will recognize
Jesus as Lord. “Therefore
God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that
is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
You too can choose humility or humiliation.