28: You're a good man, Charlie Job

I'm liking Job more and more. He replies to his friend with some deep philosophical-Confucius-type questions and observations. "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg?" That's pretty deep if you ask me.

He goes on to state that he really feels God's cold shoulder, a feeling I know well. He can't figure out why, which is a nice setup for the story. If an angel appeared and told him everything, I would think that this is a great tale, but unrealistic. God does not tell me what I'm doing wrong with His voice. Yes, I know I need to learn to listen to God, but Job's situation is more realistic and I appreciate that. He is left in the dark as to why his life has become the bottom of a trash can.

I also like how he compares his friends to a stream of water. While the rain is good, words of support flow from their mouth. Yet, when times are bad, they abandon him or scorn his actions. This is telling often of how good a friend really is. It's easy to be friends with someone when things are going well. It's those friends who stick with you when times are bad that are true friends. They aren't afraid to ask what's wrong and are willing to talk about the problems at hand.

I like how Job stands up for himself, even in the company of friends. He could have bought into what Eliphaz said, that God is disciplining him for something that is unrighteous in his life. But he knows God; he has a relationship with God that is personal and true. He admits that something is not the way it used to be, but he needs time to figure it out. Yet, he has faith through all of this. You are a good man, Job. A good man.