Blameless & Upright

In Job 1:1, Job is introduced like this:

In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

God affirmed that this was the type of man Job was in Job 1:8:

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

So, Job is introduced as a man who loved God, served God, feared God, and did right. One reason that Job was esteemed so highly by others and by God was the way that he noticed and helped those around him including the poor, the orphan, the dying, the grieving, the needy, and the outcast (see Job 29:12-16).

Job was able to overcome what is so difficult for us. He could notice those around him, especially those around him in need, and had the heart of compassion to respond. We fall into the trap of running through life with such speed and vigor that we rarely notice those not directly in our path.

Those on the sides of the journey become a mere blur that impacts us little and do not catch our attention. We are so focused on where we are going, what we are doing, and the next item on our to-do list that we do not notice those along the way.

Many that we are passing are the very ones that Jesus calls us to minister to. The hurting, the helpless, the defeated, the injured, and the unwanted come our way almost every day. Do you see them? Do you notice? Do you care?

Job did. And because he did, God called him blameless and upright. If we are going to be blameless and upright before the Lord, we must make a better effort to change our focus from the task at hand to the people along the way. We must be much more concerned with the “who” along the journey than the “where” or even the “what.”

To be like Job in this area, we have to overcome the influence and the impact of our culture around us. Life is moving at breakneck speed. Only the disciplined can notice the people along the way. Deadlines and duties are constantly calling us back to the task. Technology is demanding our attention. Only the intentional can push back against the demanding to tend to the down and out.

Maybe you are one of those who feel like you are the needy, the struggling, and the overlooked. Do not forget that God sends people in your path, too, that need you to minister to and show compassion to them. None of us is exempt from the call. And, none of us is immune to the temptation to be so self-absorbed that we miss an opportunity to love in Jesus’ name.

Let’s be like Job…looking and loving.