Saturday, June 14, 2008

Job Fair

One of the things that strikes me as unfair about the book of Job is this: we know his situation - he doesn't. He's scrambling in the wind for some meaning, some purpose behind the trauma in his life as we sit back and watch him react. The curtain has been drawn back for us and we know God loves him and that he is a man of integrity. Because of this most readers are very sympathetic to him , cutting him some slack as he gropes in the darkness.

His friends, who like him don't know the wherefores and the whys, are harsh and judgmental. That's the natural response when all you can see is the circumstances in someone's life. You are going to assume your own cause and effect and ultimately cast your own judgment upon them.

This is just a quick reminder to those of us who watch people fighting through particular events in their life: be very careful to cast judgment because unlike with the book of Job, you don't know the workings behind the scenes. Any criticism, without knowing the full story, is very unfair.

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