Day 146, or May 26. There's no respect these days. Our thoughts today are rooted in Job
29, verse 25. I chose the way for them and sat as their chief. I dwelt as a king amongst
his troops. I was like one who comforts mourners.
What's the big picture surrounding this verse? Job becomes the grumpy old man we always suspected
he might be. He looks back through his rose-tinted spectacles, to the days when everyone respected
him, young and old, when he was somebody, and everyone knew it. Now all that has changed.
He's lost everything and his reputation, too. Gone are the days when young men stepped
aside to let him pass. Gone are the days when even mature leaders would cover their mouths
rather than interrupt him when he spoke. Job felt he had earned all these privileges. They
were his right. Now he had lost them due to no fault of his own. Circumstances had robbed
him of his lifestyle, and even more, his beloved family, and no one understood why, least of
all, Job.
And now today's action step. Isn't it great when your reputation brings privileges for
you to enjoy? Well, that isn't the case for all of us, and sometimes holding on to our
reputation is not the best course of action. It's interesting to check what Jesus thought
about reputations. Mark's Gospel reminds us of his words in chapter 12, where it tells
us, Beware of these teachers of religious law, for they like to parade around in flowing
robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and how they
love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head-table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly
cheat widows out of their property, and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers
in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.
Reputations should not be built for their own sakes. More importantly, we have a duty
to be the best witness possible, for Jesus' sake. Remember, Jesus came to serve not to
be served, and we are to follow his example every day.