Thoughts on Fortunes, Family & Friends

Introduction

Today we continue our series in the book of Job. In this series, we are examining a variety of principles found within this book.

First - a look back at where we’ve been.

Basics from the Beginning - pt.1

We have an Adversary

He has Freedom to Travel; He has Formidable Influence; His Fellowships are Disguised; His Form is Deceptive; He has a Focus of Attack; His Future is Assured

We have an Advocate

He Controls the Wall; His is the Wellspring; He is a Witness

We have Autonomy

The Truth of It; The Test of It; The Terror of It

Basics from the Beginning - pt.2

Prayer isn’t always Answered as We Like (v1:5)

The Intercession; The Intention; The Dedication; The Rejection

Bad Things Happen to Good People

The Surmise of Job’s Friends; Job was Special, yet Job was a Sinner; Job Suffered; The Saviour Speaks; The Saviour Suffered

We Know but Half the Story

Job knew the What, but not the Why; He knew Neither the Cause nor Purpose; nor the Outcome

The Godly will Worship through Tragedy (v1:20-21)

Because of their Focus; Their Faith in God’s Character & God’s Plan

Moving forward today, I want to touch on a few more principles that are found in the first two chapters. Various principles that are not necessarily connected as the previous ones were, but important principles to understand nonetheless.

I. Fortunes

We’ll speak for a few moments on wealth.

Wealth - the gain & loss of it is of great importance in this book.

They are Impartial

The Bible tells us: 1 Timothy 6:7–11 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

There’s a lot to take away from this passage, but we’ll not examine them all.

The LOVE of money - not money is the root of all evil.

As Zig Zigglar once said: “It’s not about how much money you have, but how much money has of you”.

There have been godly rich men - Job one of them

There’s been Godly poor men - Christ being Chief among them

Just as there have been wicked rich men, and wicked poor men alike.

Money itself is impartial. Money is a tool, that’s all it is.

If ‘rich’ is your goal, you’re walking into a trap.

If your sights are set upon the accrual of money, you are in trouble.

The LOVE of money can cause you to err from the faith (and bring sorrow)

What matters with your money is not how much you have, but what you choose to do with it.

They are Insecure

We see in the life of Job that he was the richest man in the east - yet in one day, it all vanished. ALL of his wealth was gone.

Proverbs 23:4–5 “Labour not to be rich: Cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

I think that most people who have money, think that they are protected from such things that happened to Job. They have their money secure:

It’s insured by the FDIC

The majority is in ‘safe - low-risk’ stocks & bonds

It’s in property

Don’t think for a minute that your wealth couldn’t suddenly be gone just like Job’s! Job’s wealth was destroyed by thieves and natural disasters - and those same things happen today!

And if that’s not enough - make sure to keep in mind what Paul told Timothy: 1 Timothy 6:7 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

You will be parted with your riches one day - it’s just a matter of how. The best view you could have on money is NOT ‘How much can I get’, but ‘what will you do with it while you have opportunity’?

Fortunes are Impartial & Insecure

Thoughts on Fortunes. Secondly, thoughts on Family

II. Family

Next we’ll turn our attention to Job’s family.

Should be Cherished for they are not Certain (v1:18-19)

At the beginning of the book, Job had a large family. By the end of chapter one, things had changed drastically.

We know that Job had great love for his children, as he spent considerable amount of time and money in intercessory prayer for them. I wonder when Job woke up on that fateful day if he’d considered he’d seen his children for the last time?

I think everyone in here has experienced loss. We all have some semblance of understanding of the impact and finality that follows. But it’s not until we’re focused on it that we consider it.

It’s EASY to look back at those we’ve loved and lost and consider the effect - it’s equally easy to live in them moment with our loved ones who are here on this earth and get aggravated and upset with them - and all too often, harbor ill-will.

I challenge this to you church, live life with your loved ones as though this was the last day you’d get to spend with them.

Show your love

Tell them you care & appreciate them

Take the opportunity to hug their neck

Show them grace if / when they’ve wronged you - (Because we all need that!)

Be purposeful in your interactions

Talk about things that matter, and listen more than you speak

Regret is a horrible companion - the more purposeful we are in our relationships, the less we’ll have.

Family should be Cherished for they are not Certain

The second point is certainly related to the first… Family should be forgiven for they are fallible

Should be Forgiven for they are Fallible (v2:9)

In the second chapter, we here from another. It’s the only time we hear from here throughout the entire book. Job’s wife.

Job’s wife says something foolish - but you got to understand, she suffered terribly. Job wasn’t the only one who lost 10 children that day - she did as well! All those baby brought up upon her knees - those in which she nursed and loved on - watched them take their first steps - they were all gone!

Notice though that even when she endured all that - she held her peace! It wasn’t until her husband - the love of her life was afflicted with terrible disease that she lashed out!

Church, I submit to you that her outburst - as bad as it was - was certainly understandable to a degree given the circumstances.

Do you know what this outburst made Job’s wife? Human. She made a mistake. Job held no ill-will against her. He reproved her and then instructed her.

One of the craziest truths I don’t understand is how so often we show grace and force ourselves to speak kindly to strangers or acquaintances, all the while we’re comfortable spewing venom to those closest to us!

Husbands, are your wives perfect? Do they mess up?

Forgive them

Wives, do your husbands sometimes act like foolish?

Forgive them

Children, do your parents make mistakes?

Forgive them

Mark 11:25 “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Forgive them, for they are Fallible - Cherish them, for they are not Certain.

Thoughts on Fortunes. Thoughts on Family - lastly, let’s examine some thought on Friends.

III. Friends

Mainly, I want to examine Job’s friends specifically.

Job’s friends really get a bad rap. Job had some choice words for them himself Job 16:1–2 “Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: Miserable comforters are ye all.”

They weren’t perfect, but I think when you consider them as a whole, they have a lot of redeeming qualities. LET ME JUST SAY THIS: I BELIEVE JOB’S FRIENDS WERE BETTER FRIENDS TO JOB THAN 95% OF YOUR ‘FRIENDS’ ON FACEBOOK!

These were his friends. And there are some things that we can take away from the manner in which these friends treated Job that will help us be better friends to others.

They Showed Pity (v2:11-12)

Notice a few things here:

When they heard, they made appointment to mourn with him & comfort him.

When they saw him, they wept & rent their mantle

These men were the very image of empathy. Empathy (def) the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another. I love the way I’d heard it a while back: ‘Their hurt in your heart’.

These men mourned with Job - what Job was going through truly broke their hearts!

These men weren’t acting, they weren’t giving lip service - they were broken for Job & his situation!

We see a great instance of empathy in the life of Christ:

Jesus’ friend Lazarus had died 4 days earlier. When Jesus went to the family, Mary & Martha were just broken over their loss. Then we read: John 11:32–35 “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.”

I’ve heard different reasons for WHY Jesus wept - some think that Jesus wept because He had to bring Lazarus back, others there thought it’s because He loved Lazarus so - but the truth is found right there - “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her. he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled…”

Mary’s hurt was in Jesus’ heart

Let me just say - I’m thankful that we have a friend in Jesus! And know this: When you hurt, YOUR hurt is in the heart of our LORD as well!

May the hurt of others be in ours as well.

They showed Pity

They were Present (v2:13a)

Where were they? WITH him.

They were in the presence of Job.

One of the best things that a friend can do is just be there for them.

(Ill.) I saw a story about Dale Earnhardt Sr. how he reacted when Kyle Petty’s son died in a crash. Kyle said ‘every time I saw Dale after that, when he saw me, he’d go the other direction’. Finally, Kyle spoke to Dale & Dale said ‘I just didn’t know what to say to you’. WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE. What do you say?

But when someone is going through a tragedy, you may not know what to say, and that’s ok - just being there for them is a tremendous blessing.

These men - they stopped what they were doing, and were there for their friend!

They were present - not only that, but they were patient

They were Patient (v2:13b)

They sat down with him upon the ground for 7 days & 7 nights! That’s commitment, church!

Job was dealing with this great loss - he’s trying to grapple with the ramifications & implications of everything that he just experienced, and what he’s currently experiencing!

Yet, even in all this, they didn’t open their mouths, they didn’t try to coax Job into ‘cheering up’ - they just sat. And waited. They gave Job time & space to process.

Colossians 3:12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”

Ecclesiastes 7:8 “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

A good friend will be patient with their friends

They were Patient

They Weren’t Perfect

As you continue the book, we see that they all began to accuse Job & cast Judgment upon him.

The Bible says they came to “…mourn with him and to comfort him.”. Again, what Job said was right - they were ‘miserable comforters’.

These friends were far from perfect - but they were surely his friends.

Church, as we consider our friends, let us be understanding in that our friends are just like us - prone to mess up - and be slow to Judge and quick to show grace and forgiveness.

They weren’t Perfect

Conclusion