In Job, chapters 26-31, Job gives a list of all the many good things he had done in his life to help others. As we read through these chapters, it is amazing to see the tremendous light that Job had about God and His ways and the high standard of life that he lived way back in those days when there was no Bible and without the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is good to look through some things in these chapters, because they put us to shame and challenge us to live at a much higher standard today.
He begins by saying how foolish man is to dig deep for gold but not to seek for wisdom (28:1,12,13). He goes on to say that “the fear of the Lord is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding” (28:28). Solomon said exactly the same thing 1000 years later in Proverbs 9:10. Undoubtedly, he got that understanding from reading the book of Job. In Chapter 29, Job goes on to speak about his past, when he lived in friendship with God, helping the poor, the orphans, the widows, the blind, the lame and the needy. In Chapter 30, he complains that in spite of all the good he had done, he was now suffering and had been brought so low by God.
In Chapter 31, he speaks of the righteousness of his life. He had been careful with his eyes not to lust after women (v.1). He had light on this sin 2000 years before Jesus spoke about it in Matthew 5. He had walked in integrity without any falsehood (v.5,6), he had never been unfaithful to his wife (v.9-12), he had treated his servants with kindness (v.13-15), he had helped the poor and the widows and brought up orphans as his own children (v.16-23), he had not trusted in gold or been idolatrous (v.24-28), he had not rejoiced when his enemy was defeated (v.29,30), he had cared for strangers (v.31, 32), he had confessed his sin whenever he sinned (v.33), he had not been afraid of the contempt of people (v.34), and had even cared for his land properly (v.38-40). He cries out to God to answer him (v.35).
We can see in these chapters what a godly man Job was. He had light on so many areas of his life and was an extremely helpful man. Yet he did not have light on one thing: Spiritual pride. Pride in his godliness. God loved Job and was determined that Job should have that one virtue of humility also before he left this earth. And so, in immense love for Job, God took him through this deep trial in order to make him both godly and humble.
When the godly apostle Paul was in danger of becoming proud, God took Paul also through suffering. He gave him a thorn in the flesh, which was a messenger of Satan (2 Cor.12:7). Job had a messenger of Satan too. But Paul knew why he got it. Job didn’t know. That is why God takes many godly people through suffering, misunderstanding, opposition and persecution - to humble them and break them so that He can pour out His grace upon them, for He gives His grace only to the humble. We cannot blame Job for complaining. He didn’t have a Bible, the indwelling Holy Spirit, or a brother to encourage him. But Paul never complained; and neither need we.