When Life Is not So Rosy
How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
When His lamp shone on my head…
O for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship blessed my house...When my path was drenched with cream…
Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me because I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
The one who was dying, blessed me. I made the widow's heart sing…
People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence to my counsel.
After I had spoken they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears…
But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs…
And now these young men mock me in song.
I have become a byword among them.
They detest me and keep their distance;
They do not hesitate to spit in my face.
Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they throw off restraint in my presence…(Job 29:1-30:11)
When His lamp shone on my head…
O for the days when I was in my prime, when God's intimate friendship blessed my house...When my path was drenched with cream…
Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me because I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had none to assist them.
The one who was dying, blessed me. I made the widow's heart sing…
People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence to my counsel.
After I had spoken they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears…
But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs…
And now these young men mock me in song.
I have become a byword among them.
They detest me and keep their distance;
They do not hesitate to spit in my face.
Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, they throw off restraint in my presence…(Job 29:1-30:11)
Job's reflections and experiences in this passage is a vivid reminder of how fickle humans can be! People flock to us when we have something to offer them. They listen when we have power, position, and maybe some resources to help them. However, the same people can turn their backs on us and treat us in the most disdainful way because we have suffered a reversal of fortunes! In the case of Job, he was mocked in song, he was detested and spat upon! But, somehow, Job recognized that God had allowed his affliction!
There are a few things worth noting:
First: Life is not always lived at the mountain top. Life might not always be rosy. There are times when our fortunes might change inexplicably. We should always hold positions, power, and wealth very lightly and with a great deal of humility. When things change, we would have been mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared to walk through the situation. We never know where the wind might blow!
Second: We should live our lives caring deeply for the poor and underprivileged. We should seek justice for the oppressed; we should care for the plight of the vulnerable. When we experience harsh times, we would be able to experience some inner strength and joy knowing that we did not selfishly squander all we had on ourselves alone!
Finally, we should endeavor to live with such integrity and godliness that our conscience will not condemn us when we run into harsh times. We can say with assurance that our reversed fortunes are not a product of our wickedness and selfishness, but rather part of what God is allowing us to go through for His own purposes in our lives.
So, live your life in such a way that when your fortunes are reversed and people are mocking, you can still stay strong and trust in God. When life is not so rosy, people might mock you; but God will never leave nor forsake you. He will rescue you. In the end, God always wins!
There are a few things worth noting:
First: Life is not always lived at the mountain top. Life might not always be rosy. There are times when our fortunes might change inexplicably. We should always hold positions, power, and wealth very lightly and with a great deal of humility. When things change, we would have been mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared to walk through the situation. We never know where the wind might blow!
Second: We should live our lives caring deeply for the poor and underprivileged. We should seek justice for the oppressed; we should care for the plight of the vulnerable. When we experience harsh times, we would be able to experience some inner strength and joy knowing that we did not selfishly squander all we had on ourselves alone!
Finally, we should endeavor to live with such integrity and godliness that our conscience will not condemn us when we run into harsh times. We can say with assurance that our reversed fortunes are not a product of our wickedness and selfishness, but rather part of what God is allowing us to go through for His own purposes in our lives.
So, live your life in such a way that when your fortunes are reversed and people are mocking, you can still stay strong and trust in God. When life is not so rosy, people might mock you; but God will never leave nor forsake you. He will rescue you. In the end, God always wins!
Prayer: Father, please help me to live my life in such a way that my confidence will be in you alone and not in what I possess or what people think of me. Amen