CAN YOU DO LIKE JOB DID?

[Pastor Bayo Afolaranmi]

Dearly Beloved,
CAN YOU DO LIKE JOB DID?
"Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense - let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing. Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step; like a prince I would approach him" (Job 31:35-37 NIV).
Job was a righteous man. I respect him a lot. His last defense in Job 31 is thought provoking. Let us look at them one after the other: he started the last part of his defense by declaring his covenant "not to look lustfully at a girl" (verse 1). He reiterated this in verse 9 that his heart had never been enticed by a woman. What a sexual purity! He testified about his blamelessness in terms of falsehood and deceit in verses 5-8. Also he talked about how he had not denied justice to his servants because he knew that the same God created him and these servants (verses 13-15). Moreover, he could boast about his generosity to the needy (verses 16-23). This generosity was extended to the members of his household as well as strangers (verses 31-32). He also exonerated himself from putting his trust in material possessions or any form of idolatry (verses 24-28). He could say it that he had never "rejoiced at [his] enemy's misfortune" nor invoke "a curse against his life" (verses 29-30). He even claimed his fairness to inanimate things like land (verses 37-40). In each of the cases, he prayed for severe consequences if he had done otherwise. No wonder, he could appeal his case to the Almighty (verses 35-37).
Who on earth nowadays can do like Job did - to be bold enough to be able call people to challenge his/her integrity and fairness? Are we men not looking lustfully at other women, and being enticed by them? Are women also not doing what will make men to lust after them by their dressing and actions? How blameless are we in terms of falsehood and deceit? Are we not treating those that are subordinate to us with injustice? How generous are we to the needy and others around us? Are we not looking up to material possessions and other worldly things as our source of security? Have these things not become our thin gods? What is our attitude to our perceived enemies? Do you not rejoice at their misfortune and even invoke curses on them? How fair are we to animals and inanimate things around us? Can we sincerely pray that God should repay us according to our deeds?
People may blame Job for his self-righteousness, but his life is one that even God could boast of (Job 1:8; 2:3). Can you be like Job, and can you do like he did?
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).