Hiding Virtue?

SCRIPTURE:  The upright will be [astonished and] appalled at this, And the innocent will stir himself up against the godless and polluted. Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his ways, And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger. Job 17:8-9 AMP

QUOTE: “It is time to stir when proclamation is made in the gate of the camp, Who is on the Lord’s side? When vice is daring it is no time for virtue, through fear, to hide itself.” – Matthew Henry, Commentary on Job 17:8-9, circa 1710

THOUGHT: Job’s sufferings were so devastating that still today we wonder, “why, God?” But part of Job’s story, and part of why it’s been one of my favorite books of the Bible literally since childhood, is that Job asked why too. And his processing here gives us some thoughts about how we can respond when we see egregious wrong happening around us. We don’t just stop and gawk like a rubbernecker, and we don’t become silent bystanders, fearful for our own skin. We let our astonishment and shock be known, we let it stir us up against godlessness and pollution in our day and time.

Most importantly, we don’t allow our faith to falter into wondering whether God has forsaken us, or is still in control, or even more tragically conclude there is no God at all. Job spoke about what he knew – this was his own character, having made it clear in 13:15, “Even though He kills me; I will hope in Him. Nevertheless, I will argue my ways to His face.” The righteous will be honest before God and hold onto what he has said even when they can’t understand what is happening around them – and Job testifies they will become stronger because of it.

What are you and I waiting for before we stir ourselves up against godlessness and pollution and perversion? As Matthew Henry concluded in the early 1700s, “when vice is daring it is no time for virtue, through fear, to hide itself.”

PRAYER: Oh God, like a young teenager David, facing a giant who defied you, let us stir ourselves up and not be silent.