via TJC
“Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore, I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask Thee, and do Thou instruct me.
I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees Thee;
Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:3-6
Job was a courageous man! In all of the things that God allowed the evil one to do to him, Job retained his faith. He certainly questioned God, he had his own moral conversations with God even questioning God’s motives and plans. In the end, here in the verse above, God asks Job, “who are you, hiding counsel without knowledge?” (author’s paraphrase) Job stood and took responsibility for his babbling on about things he did not understand, “things too wonderful for me which I did not know.”
I’ve been there too. I’ve talked of things I really did not understand, criticized people I didn’t know, made assumptions about people and their perspectives without ever confronting them to ask them to explain themselves to me so I may better understand. Perhaps I did not want to understand, perhaps I thought I knew better. I certainly did not take responsibility for what I had said or how I had influenced others to take my side.
However, over the past several years, I’ve started to change. I’ve asked those whom I did not understand to explain themselves; what they stood for, believed in, and protested about. I became courageous; taking the time to learn and understand. Now, when I speak, it’s not from ignorance but from a genuine understanding and when I get it wrong, I’m quick to retract and repent. (without the dust and ashes)
Daily Battle Order:
Get the facts! Be courageous and question God about those things you don’t understand. Before you criticize or condemn someone or a policy, or a belief, get the facts! Talk with those whom you disagree with, and then follow Job’s lead and keep your mouth shut if you don’t know what you’re talking about.
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