Job 31:17-32: a reflection

17or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it 18(no, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, I have guided her from my mother’s womb); 19if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or that the needy had no covering; 20if his heart hasn’t blessed me, if he hasn’t been warmed with my sheep’s fleece; 21if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate; 22then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone. 23For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing. 24“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’ 25If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much; 26if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor, 27and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth; 28this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have denied the God who is above. 29“If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him 30(I have certainly not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse); 31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’ 32(the foreigner has not camped in the street, but I have opened my doors to the traveler);

As Job defends his integrity, he points to how he has lived toward the vulnerable and toward his own wealth. He has not eaten his bread alone while the fatherless went hungry, but shared with them; he has not let the needy perish for lack of clothing; he has not lifted his hand against the fatherless. And he has not made gold his hope, saying to fine gold, You are my confidence, nor rejoiced merely because his wealth was great. His integrity showed in how he treated the vulnerable and in where he placed his trust.

Notice the two marks of Job's integrity: care for the vulnerable, and not trusting in wealth. He cared for the fatherless, the needy, the poor, sharing with them rather than eating alone while they went hungry, opening his door to the traveler. And he did not make his wealth his confidence, though it was great; he refused to say to gold, You are my hope. His integrity was not merely private; it showed in how he treated the vulnerable around him, and in his refusal to trust in riches. Both his care for others and his freedom from trusting wealth marked his integrity.

Those two marks are worth taking to heart, for they test our own integrity: how we treat the vulnerable, and where we place our trust. We can neglect the vulnerable, eating our bread alone while others go without; and we can make our wealth our confidence, trusting in riches. But Job's integrity showed in caring for the needy and in refusing to trust in gold. Care for the vulnerable around you, the poor, the needy, the fatherless, sharing with them rather than neglecting them; and do not make your wealth your confidence, trusting in riches rather than in God. Let your integrity show, as Job's did, in how you treat the vulnerable and in where you place your trust; care for the needy rather than eating your bread alone, and trust in God rather than making gold your hope, as Job neither neglected the vulnerable nor made his wealth his confidence.

Lord, as Job defends his integrity, he points to how he has lived toward the vulnerable and toward his own wealth. He has not eaten his bread alone while the fatherless went hungry, but shared with them; he has not let the needy perish for lack of clothing. And he has not made gold his hope, saying to fine gold, you are my confidence, nor rejoiced merely because his wealth was great. His integrity showed in how he treated the vulnerable and in where he placed his trust. Show me the two marks of Job's integrity: care for the vulnerable, and not trusting in wealth. He cared for the fatherless, the needy, the poor, sharing with them, opening his door to the traveler. And he did not make his wealth his confidence, though it was great. His integrity was not merely private; it showed in how he treated the vulnerable, and in his refusal to trust in riches. Take those two marks to my heart, for they test my own integrity: how I treat the vulnerable, and where I place my trust. I can neglect the vulnerable, eating my bread alone while others go without; and I can make my wealth my confidence. But Job's integrity showed in caring for the needy and in refusing to trust in gold. Help me care for the vulnerable around me, sharing with them rather than neglecting them; and keep me from making my wealth my confidence, trusting in riches rather than in you. Let my integrity show, Lord, as Job's did, in how I treat the vulnerable and in where I place my trust.