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Challenger or Conformer Old Testament Reflection

Read

Bildad's First Speech

How Long Will You Talk?

1Bildad from Shuah said:

2How long will you talk

and keep saying nothing?

3Does God All-Powerful

stand in the way of justice?

4He made your children pay

for their sins.

5So why don't you turn to him

6and start living right?

Then he will decide

to rescue and restore you

to your place of honor.

7Your future will be brighter

by far than your past.

Our Ancestors Were Wise

8 Our ancestors were wise,

so learn from them.

9Our own time has been short,

like a fading shadow,

and we know very little.

10But they will instruct you

with great understanding.

11Papyrus reeds grow healthy

only in a swamp,

12and if the water dries up,

they die sooner than grass.

13Such is the hopeless future

of all who turn from God

14and trust in something as frail

as a spider's web—

15they take hold and fall

because it's so flimsy.

16Sinful people are like plants

with spreading roots and plenty

of sun and water.

17They wrap their roots tightly

around rocks.

18But once they are pulled up,

they have no more place;

19their life slips away,

and other plants grow there.

20We know God doesn't reject

an innocent person

or help a sinner.

21And so, he will make you happy

and give you something

to smile about.

22But your evil enemies

will be put to shame

and disappear forever.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
See this passage in other languages or Bible versions

Reflect

Bildad can hardly wait to get into the conversation with his own wisdom! Know anyone like that? Of course we all do. Sometimes it’s us.

His argument isn’t really any different from that of Eliphaz but he is more brutal in his attack.  “You’re full of hot air, Job. Stop complaining. Listen to what we have all been taught. God doesn’t pervert justice. Your children died because of their sin—so smarten up and start living right. Get your act together and God will reward you with even more than he took away.“ (my paraphrase!)

On and on he goes. Bildad is heartless in his effort to present truth—his truth.

How often do we live the same way. We are certain we know what the truth is because we have been taught well—or so we think. And then one day, we are confronted with something that doesn’t fit our tidy system. At that moment, we have a choice. We can be a challenger or a conformer.

Job was a challenger. Eliphaz and Bildad were conformers.

The one thing Job could not do and still maintain his integrity was to submit to the accusations that he was a hypocrite, even if that meant getting everything restored. Clearly his integrity was more important than either physical comfort of material blessings.

Challenging the current system of belief is not easy or without risk. In this sense, Job stands as a foreshadowing of Jesus, who refused to conform to the religious “truths” of the day about God’s character and, although innocent, was branded guilty.

Too often we accept the easy road, believing what we have been taught about God, rather than taking the risk of really getting to know God.

It’s our choice to be a conformer or a challenger.

Respond

God of truth, thank you for giving us Jesus to reveal yourself to us and your Spirit to teach us all truth.  Help me to discern when I need to challenge and when to conform to what I hear about you, in order to know you truthfully.  Amen.

Lynn Smith

Lynn served Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto as Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Development where leadership development became the focus of her involvement with students. After retiring, she co-founded NextLEVEL Leadership, an International organization focused on encouraging Christian women to develop in their leadership roles in the marketplace, profession or ministry. Her passion for seeing others grow in their leadership confidence has inspired her to teach and mentor wherever God calls. Publications: Gender or Giftedness: a Challenge to rethink the basis for leadership within the Faith Community; Mentoring: Leaving a Legacy; Fred's Not Here - Living with Alzheimer Disease takes Courage

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