Wisdom At the End of the Rope

Finding grace at the end of Job.

Today we come to the last chapter of Job. I’m going to let it spill a bit into Monday. Tuesday, we’ll let Holy Week take over through Easter Sunday.

If we’ve been paying attention at all to Job’s character throughout the whole of the book, we might have been able to expect his humble response to the Lord. While Job was not afraid to share his frustrations throughout what we’ve read in the first 37 chapters, he was always steadfast on the nature of God’s sovereignty.

At the same time, when we remember that Job demanded an audience with God, accused God of injustice, and expressed deep confusion about divine governance, we can begin to see a deep grace at work here. I think it’s important, particularly noting just how old the book of Job is (well prior to Christ).

Job showed deep sincerity and honesty before God. His anger and confusion were on full display. But he never hid or pretended. And he never resorted to clichés or platitudes. Sometimes we have this assumption that we must present what we think is “right” or “presentable” before God. But the scriptures demonstrate to us that God prefers most the sincerity of humanity above all, especially in the wisdom literature (Psalms, Job, etc.) and Jesus in the gospels.

Because it’s in full honesty and transparency that God can work within us. Indeed, God already knows who we are and what we’re feeling. So the honesty actually benefits us.

Eugene Peterson paraphrases the first beatitude in a way I think epitomizes much of the story of Job - You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

Maybe that’s where Luke quietly meets Job today. As the disciples argue about who is the greatest and then seek to call down fire on those who oppose them, Jesus gently corrects them. They are still trying to secure position, control outcomes, and define righteousness in their own terms. Job, by the end, has let all of that go. He stands not as one who understands everything, but as one who relents to some mixture of understanding, mystery, and life experience. This won’t satisfy every corner of the human desire to control things, even things like academic certainty or scientific precision.

But perhaps that is where the intersection of faith and wisdom really hits. Perhaps this is the deeper wisdom: not grasping for greatness, not demanding answers, but learning to stand humbly before God, honest and open, ready to receive whatever God chooses to give.

It will seem foolish to many. But tell me: how much better are the ways of humans? How are we doing in the greater good with just assuming we can figure it all out and control the world with what we’ve built for ourselves?

Just take a look around the world for a bit.

Luke 9:46-56

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Aware of their deepest thoughts, Jesus took a little child and had the child stand beside him. Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me. Whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever is least among you all is the greatest.”

John replied, “Master, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he isn’t in our group of followers.”

But Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him, because whoever isn’t against you is for you.”

As the time approached when Jesus was to be taken up into heaven, he determined to go to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead of him. Along the way, they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival, but the Samaritan villagers refused to welcome him because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to consume them?” But Jesus turned and spoke sternly to them, and they went on to another village.

Job 42

Job answered the Lord:

I know you can do anything;
no plan of yours can be opposed successfully.
You said, “Who is this darkening counsel without knowledge?”
I have indeed spoken about things I didn’t understand,
wonders beyond my comprehension.
You said, “Listen and I will speak;
I will question you and you will inform me.”
My ears had heard about you,
but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore, I relent and find comfort
on dust and ashes.

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz from Teman, “I’m angry at you and your two friends because you haven’t spoken about me correctly as did my servant Job. So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and prepare an entirely burned offering for yourselves. Job my servant will pray for you, and I will act favorably by not making fools of you because you didn’t speak correctly, as did my servant Job.”

Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah did what the Lord told them; and the Lord acted favorably toward Job. Then the Lord changed Job’s fortune when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all Job’s earlier possessions. All his brothers, sisters, and acquaintances came to him and ate food with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him concerning all the disaster the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a qesitah and a gold ring. Then the Lord blessed Job’s latter days more than his former ones. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named one Jemimah, a second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. No women in all the land were as beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave an inheritance to them along with their brothers. After this, Job lived 140 years and saw four generations of his children. Then Job died, old and satisfied.

Prayer

God,

As this week comes to a close, I bring to you what is unfinished, what is unresolved, and what I still do not understand. Help me to let go of the need to control it all. Teach me to stand before you honestly, without pretense, without needing to have the right words.

Form in me a quiet humility that trusts you, even at the end of my rope.

Don’t get me wrong - I cannot give up my desire to understand. But help me to live by your grace and wisdom that seeks to live compassionately despite not having it all figured out.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.