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highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
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Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
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Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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LESSONS OF JOB
(Part 15)
THE JUSTICE OF JOB
Today's readings again point us
to our theme for 2010. "The Almighty! Just and righteous is
He." As we are children of God who are made in His image and
likeness, so too should we be just and righteous. Yesterday (Lessons of
Job Part 14) we looked at the righteousness of Job. Today we look at the
aspect of justice as practiced by Job.
Our theme verse says, "The Almighty! we cannot discover him,
pre-eminent in power and judgment; his great justice owes no one an
accounting." (Job 37:23). Today's psalm verse says, "Therefore
the wicked will not survive judgment, nor will sinners in the assembly
of the just." (Ps 1:5). God judges us and metes justice according
to our conduct. All are judged, and the goats are separated from the
sheep. If we are to survive judgment, we must be just.
How are we just? Let us again look at Job, at the very same verses we
examined yesterday in looking at his righteousness (from Job 31). But
first, know that there is an interplay between being righteous and being
just. If one is righteous, then one must be just. If one is to be just,
then one must be righteous. What is the difference? Righteousness is
being in right relationship with God and living a life according to His
ways. It is being holy. Justice is giving to the other person whatever
is his due. Righteousness is a state of being personally right with God.
Justice is the state of doing right to others.
Job was a just man, and he knew it. "Let God weigh me in the scales
of justice; thus will he know my innocence!" (Job 31:6). In what
ways was Job just? Job acted in practical day-to-day ways that gave
those he interacted with what was their due. One, he paid his tenants
for the produce of the land (Job 31:39), thus giving just compensation.
Two, he did not lust against a maiden or woman (Job 31:1), thus not
violating their dignity. Three, he did not covet what belonged to his
neighbor (Job 31:9), thus giving due recognition to what was his or not
his. Four, he treated his servants well (Job 31:13), thus giving them
due respect and proper compensation. Five, he cared for and provided for
the poor (Job 31:16,19), thus giving them an equitable share of the
world's goods. Six, he did not raise his hand against the innocent (Job
31:21), thus not oppressing the powerless. Seven, he did not trust in
mammon (Job 31:24-25), thus not failing to be grateful to God for his
abundance. Eight, he did not lapse into idolatry (Job 31:26-27), thus
not depriving God of the worship that was due to Him alone. Nine, he did
not wish or exult in evil for his foes (Job 31:29), thus not failing to
love even his enemies. Ten, he offered hospitality to strangers (Job
31:31-32), thus giving them due consideration as children of God.
Eleven, he did not abuse the land (Job 31:38), thus exercising proper
dominion over nature and the environment.
Because God is just and righteous, He desires that we be just and
righteous as well. But it is our choice. Unfortunately we are hampered
by our human flesh and the lure of the world. But God's grace is
sufficient, if we but take hold of it. So as today's reading in Romans
says, "For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves
to impurity and to lawlessness for lawlessness, so now present them as
slaves to righteousness for sanctification." (Rom 6:19b). So we
choose. Now because God is just and righteous, our choice is ultimately
a choice to be for or against God. There will be those who will choose
one or the other. And so there will be division, as today's gospel
reading shows. Jesus himself says he came to establish division, where
"a household of five will be divided, three against two and two
against three" (Lk 12:52). Even the closest of relatives or
brethren will be divided (Lk 12:53).
Such division happens even in Christian community, even among the
closest of brethren and even among the highest of elders.
Unrighteousness and injustice lead to division. If people choose to lie,
to malign, to attack, to withhold just compensation, to refuse to pay
just debts, to distort truth, to afflict the innocent, then there will
be strife and division. For the unrighteous and unjust, there will be
punishment, for "the wicked will not survive judgment" and
"the way of the wicked leads to ruin." (Ps 1:5a,6b). They are
the enemies of God.
But why is it that in the world the good suffer and the bad seem to
prosper? That is something that we will continue to consider as we learn
the lessons of Job. But suffice for now to know: "The Lord watches
over the way of the just" and "Happy those who do not follow
the counsel of the wicked" (Ps 1:6a,1a). Our call is clear: just
and righteous should we be.
God bless you.
frank
(October 22, 2009)
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