Job the father
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Introduction:
The passages read were penned by Moses.
What He wrote was what God instructed Him to write.
These laws were to lead and guide the life of each individual to be as we spoke through Exodus 21 and 22 “To be worthy of the King”.
Guidelines for a life glorifying to the Lord.
Who teaches these laws?
The government?
The churches?
Growing up how many of you were in church every day and the pastor taught you?
No one!
Maybe PK’s.
God in Deuteronomy 6 issues an job to do as parents, specifically dads!
Help write the laws of the Lord on your children’s heart.
God in His wisdom uniquely designed the family dynamic.
Many of us don’t realize the impact a dad has in the home and to their children’s hearts.
Thankfully a lot of studies have been done about dads and their impact so finding statistics isn’t the difficult part.
Deciphering the statistics is the difficult part.
Here are some of the statistics:
82% of studies on father involvement and child well-being published since 1980 found “significant associations between positive father involvement and offspring well-being…”Paul R. Amato and Fernando Rivera, “Paternal Involvement and Children’s Behavior Problems,” Journal of Marriage and the Family 61 (1999): 375-384.
In an analysis of over 100 studies on parent-child relationships, it was found that having a loving and nurturing father was as important for a child’s happiness, well-being, and social and academic success as having a loving and nurturing mother. Some studies even indicated father-love was a stronger contributor to some important positive child well-being outcomes.Ronald P. Rohner and A. Veneziano, “The Importance of Father Love: History and Contemporary Evidence,” Review of General Psychology 5.4 (2001): 382-405.
According to child psychiatrist Kyle Pruett, a father’s more active play style and comparatively slower response to a toddler or infant experiencing frustration serve to promote problem-solving competencies and independence in the child. Kyle D. Pruett, Fatherneed: Why Father Care is as Essential as Mother Care for Your Child, (New York: The Free Press, 2000), p. 41-42.
In the words of Dr. Pruett, “positive father care is associated with more pro-social and positive moral behavior in boys and girls.” Pruett, 2000, p. 52. This is borne out by research from the University of Pennsylvania which indicates that children who feel a closeness and warmth with their father are twice as likely to enter college, 75 percent less likely to have a child in their teen years, 80 percent less likely to be incarcerated and half as likely to show various signs of depression. Frank Furstenberg and Kathleen Harris, “When and Why Fathers Matter: Impacts of Father Involvement on Children of Adolescent Mothers,” in Young Unwed Fathers: Changing Roles and Emerging Policies, R. Lerman and T. Ooms, eds. (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1993).
In a 26-year-long study, researchers found that the number one factor in developing empathy in children was father involvement. Fathers spending regular time alone with their children translated into children who became compassionate adults. Richard Koestner, et al., “The Family Origins of Empathic Concern: A Twenty-Six Year Longitudinal Study,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 58 (1990): 709-717.
What are we to gain from knowing these governmentally funded studies?
Dad’s are important and they impact much deeper than we realize.
Sometimes we need to hear about our roles.
Much like simple tasks we need reminding that our presence, our thoughts, and care is appreciated and not dismissed.
It is something to re-align us back to the job we were called to when God placed these children into our care.
Don’t get fooled into thinking that if your children are all grown up your job and impact is done.
Even as adults your impact is just as powerful.
Connecting father’s day to God’s word isn’t difficult, since God is our Father and He teaches us all, but I saw the example as a better route to explore.
We can see an example of a Godly father to his children.
Among the many, my mind went directly to Job.
We don’t have a lot of information for Job being a dad in the book of Job, in fact we only get 19 verses before his children are gone.
Why use Job?
Because in chapter 1 verses 1-5, Job reveals a simplicity to being a father.
It starts with outlining Job’s:
Character (1)
Character (1)
Job is called:
Blameless:
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
Job was blameless; but in what way is the author ascribing this attribute to Job?
It helps us to understand what the word means in the context.
The word blameless is defined as:
adj. complete, normal, perfect, blameless. In the context of perfection, it conveys the idea of moral integrity or physical beauty.
What is the word describing? The man Job.
Can we be skeptical of this word to describe Job?
Sure; but then do the study to see if there are any locations of scripture that describe him in the contrary.
You won’t find any.
Even the Lord, when describing Job to Satan describes him the same way and adds a little more to it.
8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
It seems as if the Lord is affirming what was stated earlier about Job.
Think of this as an overarching theme for the book of Job.
The statement is made, Then it’s affirmed by the Lord; but just in case if you need the proof: The rest of the book proves the claim’s made by the Lord and the author at the beginning.
There wasn’t any moment when he didn’t turn away from evil, or any moment when he thought of himself higher than God.
His actions and attitude, even to his wife, revealed that he was complete, normal, and perfect: blameless!
Job was a blameless man in every part of his life.
It doesn’t mean he was sinless in the sense of perfection; but brings to the surface his character and truthful in living.
He took sin seriously.
He walked in close fellowship with God and delighted in obeying God’s law.
The bible calls him and anyone else who does the same blessed:
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!
Illustration:
The character trait for blameless is like that one friend growing up that just happened to be with all the other kids when mischief took place.
Yet every parent knew that one kid was innocent.
Why?
Because he continued to be the one who didn’t get in to mischief; but always hung around those that got into mischief to have friends.
He was blameless.
There is a second attribute used to describe Job: he was
Upright:
It is a word that connects Job’s morality to his conduct.
In a simple understanding:
His life when looking in is level and straight.
Illustration:
I worked for many different companies building houses, specifically framing the house, and there is one that really sticks out among them all.
(Explain the difference in fast paced expectations, not compromising quality, etc...)
We could build a 3-4,000 sqft house in a week.
I was accustomed to straightening walls with my eye, no string; saved time.
The next crew I worked with said I was crazy.
Told the boss, especially considering we were building the boss’s house, and he yelled at me!
My response was: Check it!
I made a claim that I could straighten a wall with my eye, now there needed to be evidence that upheld the claim.
It was straight!
I was given the green light to keep doing it.
Job didn’t make this claim of himself, God made the claim about him.
He was approved.
His life could be an example for level and straight, or as God states it: “Upright”.
His life pleased the Lord.
His motivations were pure and his actions towards everyone and everything was fair and honest.
His life is spoken of alongside lives like: Noah and Daniel in Ezekiel.
14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.
20 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.
His life was an example of correct living.
? Why, how could he live to be able to show an upright life?
Because he:
Feared God
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
The reverence and respect for the Lord held him accountable to make choices that were correct.
He turned away from evil.
Avoided it.
He didn’t want to compromise his purity before the Lord or to settle for less than God’s best.
Connection:
In a day or a week or a month how many times is that our desire?
To not settle for anything less than God’s best?
Job’s character is laid out for us to see right off the bat in the first verse.
That creates a baseline for the rest of the book.
From his character we are given the details of his:
Clout (2-3)
Clout (2-3)
He is the father of:
7 sons 3 daughters
2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
If someone had 10 children they are blessed by the Lord.
Not just the father; but also the mother.
She was able to provide a lineage to carry on the family name and testimony for many generations to come.
Many perceived it as a curse from the Lord when a husband and wife didn’t have any children.
Because it was as if the Lord condemned them and their lineage wouldn’t continue.
Their name was “snuffed out”.
Yet Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters.
Each and every family is blessed to have children no matter how they arrive.
Job was very blessed.
His blessings from the Lord hadn’t stopped at children.
God continued to reveal his:
Livestock
3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
There were approximately 11,000 animals in total.
I’m not sure what would be considered rich; but that to me, could possibly be considered rich in possessions and wealth to care for them all.
Then to care for all the animals, he had:
Many Servants
3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
Job not only had the livestock, he had the workforce to care for them all.
Now a tidbit of information to think about.
For Job to maintain that character that God told us about earlier it would carry into his whole life.
Think about his servants: He was still “upright” in the his care for his servants as well as his children and his livestock.
Job’s wealth hadn’t changed his character, maybe he was blessed with this because of his character.
He was given much because he was worthy with little.
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Job was greatest of all the people of the east, he had every reason to boast of his life.
Yet his character was a humble servant before the Lord.
This is written for us in verses 4-5; where God records Job’s:
Care (4-5)
Care (4-5)
There is a:
Closeness in the family
4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
How great would it be to have a family dynamic where all your children get along and live close enough to have and enjoy meals together ever night of the week.
Notice there are 7 days in a week and Job had 7 sons, each taking their day to host. (Shows leadership on the men’s part)
Job’s family loved each other.
The boys cared for their sisters and sister-in-laws and showed it by inviting them to the nightly dinner.
How many families gather together that you know of?
How many would want to, if they did live close enough to do it?
This is a testimony to itself to every person reading it.
I bet as a father it would be a joy to see this kind of care and love in your adult children.
Their closeness would be an encouragement.
Why would they have this closeness, was it an agreement they made or were they forced to?
I believe that Job had a big hand in this as they were growing up.
His leadership exemplified love, care, and kindness.
It would make sense that the children as adults would stick to that same teaching.
He brought the up properly, and trained them to prefer others more than selves.
He upheld His:
Duty as Father
You never stop being dad, even when they are grown up and have their own families.
The job description just shifts.
His shifted to focus on the intercession before the Lord on behalf of his children.
He reveals to us that he had a spiritual temperature for his children.
It also seems like that has been the case their whole lives.
Dad’s don’t stop doing the dad things for their kids, they just do it differently.
How many times do you remember growing up you dad giving you advice; but as an adult you realized he is still teaching you, just in a different way.
Job shows a seriousness to his spiritual care for his children.
5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
The routine shows that:
He was diligent
Job desired that their hearts and lives were correct before the Lord.
Even if they hadn’t sinned, he still cared about their spiritual cleanness before the Lord.
What a desire for a dad to adopt: pleading with the lord for their kids spiritual position before the Lord.
Conclusion:
In the lives of every father is each and every part of Job’s story.
We all develop a character which is known by people.
But most importantly, our children learn about our character.
I remember as I grew up, there was a moment when I saw my dad’s character.
Up until that moment he was superman; and then I saw his humanity.
That shapes part of you and allows a choice:
Do you want to be like him or do you want to be different?
It seems that Job gave no excuse to his children for the character that he left as an example in their home.
What a great example to have and follow to be “upright” in the Lord’s eyes.
We as fathers may not realize it but we are the example they will learn.
That example connects into the spiritual realm as well.
When someone doesn’t trust dad, they have a difficult time trusting the Heavenly Father.
Strive for upright character like Job.
That character carried on into his business life too.
His business life and personal life weren’t separate, it was the same.
That shows us that we are to be the same in all arenas of our life.
The multiplicity is confusing to children, but the continuity reveals who a person is.
Children are much more observant than we want to give them credit for.
Let them see that your character doesn’t waiver no matter what is happening or being talked about.
Let your spiritual man always be in the spotlight.
Your prayers in the early morning or in the late evening for your family are heard and answered by the Lord.
Plead on behalf of your children.
plead for their heart’s mind’s and souls.
Present, and future.
Transparently pray for them, and with them.
Point them to the one who has their answers and to the one who has the ability to move mountains on their behalf.
Let them see the miracles God has done, Let them see the moments you praise the Lord because of answered prayer.
Be the spiritual leader God has called you to be, especially since He has placed them in your care to do these things.
If your children are adults, it’s never too late to do these same things.
Let them see your character, your possessions given from the Lord, and hear and know of your care for them.
Dad’s have a big job, especially since the saying is true: “Character is caught, not taught”.
Let them catch an upright and blameless character that you have lived.
Then help them live that way for their children as well.
-Pray!
