Where are the radical Christians today? Where are the God followers, with such utmost respect for God, that they spend hours on their knees, that they fast on behalf of the poor and needy, that they know the Word of God?
Where are the modern day Jobs?
Where are the Jesus-lovers with this much character, that in the midst of the deepest storm, the darkest tragedy, their character would not falter?
Michael Josephson says"Our character is both formed and revealed by how we deal with everyday challenges as well as extraordinary pressures and temptations. Like a well made tower, character is built stone by stone, decision by decision."
And as I think about Job, I think his character must have been built by his time on his knees in prayer. It had to be built- before he had kids and had a family. It had to be built like a house on the rock- Matthew 7:24- that as the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat, it did not fall.
For God says about Job.. I know this man by name.
"There is no one on earth like Job; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."(Job 1:8).
His dedication to God and character was evident to many people, he was a father and leader in his community. He had seven sons and three daughters. The Bible says that in the mornings he would pray for each of his kids and sacrifice a burnt offering for them in the case that one of them had sinned.
And yet Job had no idea the storm and mess he was going to face, the tragedy that was going to become his life. Physical, mental, emotional, even spiritual pain. His joys were stripped away with disease and death. His children died, his wife turned against him, his friends tormented him verbally, disrespecting his name.
And yet even in the midst of it all, Job says "For I know my Redeemer lives" and he said that even though what was happening to him, was unfair, he would never lose his integrity! For He knew that when he met God, he would defend his case, and that God would answer justly.
And so I have to wonder, how does one get a character like Job? How do we build integrity? How do we prepare ourselves to stay faithful and steadfast even in a life full of trials and difficulties?
2 Peter 1:3-7 says "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness....For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge; self control, perserverance; and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. "
Friends, we can't be luke-warm about our relationships with Jesus, we can't be in the middle about our characters. If we are not taking pro active action, we are falling into the schemes of the devil against us. It was because of Job's great moral character, his steadfast relationship in God, that was built like stone upon stone early on, that he could endure the challenges in this life. We can't put off today what God is calling us to do and to change. Every day we wake up with choices that affect who we are becoming and every choice is taking us closer or further away from God. Therefore brothers and sisters, "Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1. Today we must choose to focus on our character, to invest in our integrity, to become more like Job.