The Character of Job – Discussion Starters
- The story of Job. That could be the title of this 42-chapter book in the Old Testament: The Story of Job. That is, Job the man. Job, facing the challenge of the world since sin took such a domineering role here. Job, wondering what is going on and what he can do about it, and how he should deal with his “friends” who seemed to gather around him to find fault with him. This is the story of Job.
- The man from Uz. Was Job “relatively” perfect? How did his form of perfection compare with the perfection of God? Can you imagine a character reference for you from God, Who knows all things? Can you and I be perfect in our imperfect bodies, our twisted and confused minds, our constant temptations for understanding what is wrong with others? At the end, what kind of a witness was Job able to be to the the angels and to his counselors?
- Job lived the good life. Imagine living in the same community with Job. What kind of a reputation did he have? How did he demonstrate God’s love for Him in his dealings with others? How did Job’s neighbors show him their high regard and respect? How can you and demonstrate our compassion for those around us who lack the benefits we enjoy as Job did?
- Heart and eyes. How easy is it for others to judge you as a braggart when you tell others about the good fortune you are enjoying? What did Job mean when he said, “my heart followed my eyes”? Would Job have made an admirable founding father for a nation looking to bless others? What kept Job from giving up in despair? Or from expressing rank anger about his misfortune? How can we express our gratitude for a God who loves us no matter what harm may come upon us?
- A house on the rock. Job’s stalwart character, his kindness and his forgiving nature didn’t prevent calamities from swooping down upon him. What was Job’s secret to being firm in his faith no matter what? Can you and I enjoy the same degree of faithfulness that was Job’s? Even if we end up with the “short end of the stick” and seem to attract bad news instead of good? How?
- The manifold wisdom of God. What was the basic issue in the siege of heartache and woe that Job endured? Job had a choice. He could have cursed God and died, as his wife once suggested, or he could have given God all the glory for remaining faithful to him–no matter what. What does Job’s example have to say to us about how can live in Him during times that are sometimes perplexing, painful, and hard to endure?
Job, along his “sanctification” process, was doing extremely well. It means that step by step, every day, he was growing trying to reflect the character of God. He was a sinner yet, because until he died he never reached the level of Jesus Christ character, but God knew and understood his level of “perfection” and declared him as a “man blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil”. What good news for us!, we are not perfect yet, but if we do our best according the light we have received from God, we are perfect to His eyes.
We are perfect in His eyes because of Christ and what He did! Do I love Christ above all!
JOB, was a very significant character that I really admired when I am going through my temptation and trial. To me Job was perfect in all his way, he feared and shun the appearance of evil. But like Job sometime we don\’t understand when we face those trails. But we should always learn to trust God and know He know best. Unlike Job, we know that this fight is not about us it about Satan and God, but we got caught in the middle of this fight and evilness of Satan. The good news is that Jesus has won the battle already. We are made perfect in God sight because of Jesus death on the cross.Amen