An Exemplary Man Who Accepted Correction

Humbly Accepted Correction

Though Job was exemplary in many ways, he was not a perfect man.  He himself said:  "Who can produce someone clean out of someone unclean?  There is not one."  (Job 14:4; Romans 5:12) So when God said that Job was blameless, this was true in the sense that he lived up to all that God expected of one of his imperfect and sinful human servants.  What a source of encouragement!

Job endured his trial,but it revealed a flaw.  Upon hearing of all the calamity that had come upon him, three so-called comforters visited him.  (Job 2:11-13)  They charged that Jehovah was punishing Job for committing grave sins.  Naturally, Job was hurt because of these false accusations, and he vigorously sought to make a defense.  But he became unbalanced in trying to justify himself.  Why, Job even implied that he was more righteous than God is! - Job 35:2, 3.

Because God loved Job, He used a young man to point out Job's error.  The account says:  "The anger of Elihu . . . came to be hot. Against Job his anger blazed over his declaring his own soul righteous rather than God."  As Elihu observed:  "Job has said, 'I certainly am in the right, but God himself has turned aside the judgment of me.' "  (Job 32:2; 34:5) Nevertheless, Elihu did not join the three "comforters" in wrongly concluding that God was punishing Job for his sins.  Instead, Elihu expressed confidence in the faithfulness of Job, and he advised him: The legal case is before [Jehovah], and so you should wait anxiously for him."  Indeed, Job should have waited on Jehovah instead of  speaking rashly in his own defense.  Elihu assured Job:  "Justice and abundance of righteousness [God] will not belittle." -Job 35:14;  37:23.

Job's thinking needed to be corrected.  Therefore, Jehovah gave him a lesson in man's littleness  compared with God's greatness.   Jehovah pointed to the earth, the sea, the starry heavens,the animals and so many other marvels of creation.  Finally, God spoke of Leviathan-the crocodile.  Job humbly accepted correction, and in this he sets a further example. 

Though we may be doing well in Jehovah's service, we will make mistakes.  If a mistake is serious, Jehovah may correct  us by some means.  (Proverbs 3:11, 12)  A scripture that pricks out conscience may come to mind.  Perhaps the Watchtower or some other publication of the Watchtower Society may say something that makes us aware of an error.  Or possibly a fellow Christians will kindly point out that we have failed  to apply a Bible principle.  How will we react to such correction?  Job manifested a contrite spirit, saying:  "I make a retraction, and I do repent in dust and ashes." -Job 42:6.

Next time: Rewarded By Jehovah

Watchtower,2000