Dangerous suppositions
Hispanic girl in the foreground, sad. Two young guys in the background. Selective focus.
DAILY MANNA
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020
TOPIC: DANGEROUS SUPPOSITIONS
TEXT: Job 34:1-17
KEY VERSE:
“What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.” – (Job 34:7,8)
There is a thinking pattern in man that seems a historical recurrence. And that is, when bad things happen to people it must always be because of the sins they may have committed.
In today’s reading for instance, Job’s friends ended up supposing that God was punishing him with the afflictions because of his sins. Even the disciples of Jesus were not spared of this thinking. They had thought that children born with congenital deformities resulted from parental sin (John 9:1,2). The story of the robbed man in the parable of the Good Samaritan may have been an offshoot of this kind of thinking. The priest and the Levite thinking the man was a sinner, went the other way!
Job’s condition was neither caused by his sins nor was it because of his fraternity with unbelievers as his friends erroneously supposed. God permitted his case to teach everyone lasting spiritual lessons. And that is: not every affliction originates from sin. Some may be a test of faith. Also, bad things may happen to good people like Jesus, the spotless innocent Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of humanity.
Meanwhile, bad things may not always happen to bad people, nor do good things always happen to good people all the time. The bad people may sometimes enjoy some good things to drive them to repentance (Romans 2:4). Moreover, some misfortune might happen not as a result of wrongdoing, but just for God to show forth His glory. Afflictions may actually come as a result of sin; that is very certain. But those who suffer such afflictions are not necessarily the worst of sinners. Therefore, we must be careful not to draw hasty conclusions especially when believers go through challenging situations. At such a time, we should emphatically pray for the afflicted.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Examine people’s challenges with the mind of Christ.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Lamentations 4-5
