Author: John Tillman

Links for today’s readings:

Feb 2 Read: Job 35 Listen: (1:33) Read: Psalm 19 Listen: (1:52)

Scripture Focus: Job 35.2-8

2 “Do you think this is just? 
You say, ‘I am in the right, not God.’ 
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me, 
and what do I gain by not sinning?’ 
4 “I would like to reply to you 
and to your friends with you. 
5 Look up at the heavens and see; 
gaze at the clouds so high above you. 
6 If you sin, how does that affect him? 
If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, 
or what does he receive from your hand? 
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, 
and your righteousness only other people.

Reflection: Don’t Troll the Troubled

By John Tillman

Productive conversations with ideological or theological opponents on social media are possible, but rare.

Sometimes, while having a social media conversation, another voice chimes in. Will they help or hurt the conversation? Will they turn into a troll?

The online term “troll” might primarily seem to describe a monster, like the Three Billy Goats Gruff troll. Online trolls are considered monstrous; however, the definition has more to do with fishing-related meanings of “troll.”

“Trolling” is a type of fishing in which a boat drags a fishing line through places where the fisherman hopes fish won’t be able to resist taking the bait. Online trolls scroll through comments and conversation boards, dropping “lures” of offensive content they hope their targets will react to in anger or fear.

When Elihu jumps into Job’s conversation with his friends, we do not know what to expect. Job’s conversation was already not going well. At first, it seems Elihu might add positive things to the conversation, but he quickly starts trolling Job with guilt and blame.

A particular troll tactic Elihu uses is putting words in Job’s mouth. Job never said God was in the wrong or that not sinning was worthless (v. 2-3). Whether intentionally or not, Elihu accused Job of things he didn’t say. He made a “strawman” argument that he could easily attack for verse after verse after verse.

When troubled people truthfully describe their experiences, it is easy for us to hear things they aren’t saying. Don’t hear, “God is unfaithful,” when they say, “Life is hopeless.” Don’t hear, “Grace is not sufficient for me,” when they say, “Pain is unbearable.” Don’t put words in their mouths. If you do, don’t be surprised if they snap like an angry fish. Hurting people don’t need verse after verse attacking arguments they aren’t making.

We can be better counselors than Elihu. Hurting people don’t need to be trolled with truisms that feel like an attack. All people need to know the truth that God’s love is real, even in the hardships. Acknowledge feelings without trying to fix things. Tell them God loves them without demanding they deny their reality. 

The time will come when God shows up as he did for Job. They will remember, and God will honor how we represent God’s faithful love that doesn’t abandon his beloved children when we are in despair.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. — Psalm 19.14
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: God’s Not Deaf

The fear that…your pleas are being offered to a deaf God are not founded in truth. Do not let your heart nourish such lies.

God’s Not Deaf

Read more: On What Are You Meditating?

The ways of God affect our thinking, reasoning, and action. From our inner emotions and thinking, to our outward actions and perceptions, God’s law shapes us.

On What Are You Meditating?

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 27  Read: Job 29 Listen: (2:26) Read: Psalm 10 Listen: (2:13)

Scripture Focus: Job 29.17

Reflection: Break Their Fangs

By John Tillman

Need to stop a lion, a bear, a wolf, or a viper? Break their fangs.

Broken teeth are bad for any animal but predators are especially reliant on the large teeth that help them capture, hold, and kill prey. No matter how powerful, how large, how fast, or how fierce a predator is, a broken fang means death. Job considered breaking the fangs of the wicked righteousness.

Job often focused on being innocent of wrongdoing. He challenged anyone to point out sin he committed. They couldn’t. He asked God what he had done wrong. God stayed silent. In his final speech, Job focused more on good things he did.

Job’s righteous resume lists actions benefiting the vulnerable. Job was a friend to the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner. He was eyes for the blind, feet to the lame, a father to those in need, and a legal defender for the immigrant stranger.

As they did then, powerful and wealthy people today take advantage of these and other vulnerable groups. They prey on the weak. Job defined righteousness as not just helping the weak, but incapacitating those preying on them—breaking the predators’ fangs.

Fangs grasp victims, preventing escape, damaging victims, weakening resistance, and sometimes injecting deadly or paralyzing venom. As Christians, breaking the wicked’s fangs does not mean violence but breaking the means used to poison, paralyze, damage, and hold captive the vulnerable.

What might this look like?

Legislation might “break the fangs” of debt, pornography, prejudices, labor abuses, or pollution but political solutions aren’t enough. Churches “break fangs” in their communities in many ways, such as paying off medical debt, supporting pregnant women and mothers, ministering to incarcerated and recently released prisoners, or providing cars, jobs, and safe housing to victims escaping abuse. Individuals “break fangs” by supporting charities that help the fatherless, the immigrant, and other outcasts.

Breaking the fangs of earthly wickedness is about more than saving victims from earthly sufferings. It points to Jesus’ ultimate snake-crushing salvation. John the Baptizer’s doubts about Jesus’ identity were eased by evidence of his earthly actions. Our limited imitations of Christ’s earthly actions ease people’s doubts and reveal Jesus’ true nature as the ultimate savior of all things that will be saved.

Are you on the side of the snake-crusher, the fang-breaker? How are you and your faith community participating in breaking the fangs of the wicked?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Righteousness Sets Things Right

Job defines his righteousness by his use of power, wealth, and influence to benefit the weak, the marginalized, and the victimized.

Righteousness Sets Things Right

Read more: The Righteous Judge — A Guided Prayer

The Righteous Judge — A Guided Prayer

Links for today’s readings:

Jan 26  Read: Job 28 Listen: (2:44)   Read: Psalm 9 Listen: (2:21)

Scripture Focus: Job 28.20-21

Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.

Reflection: Where is Wisdom — A Guided Prayer

By John Tillman

As you enter January’s final week and consider the year to come, pause to seek God’s wisdom in a responsive prayer inspired by Job’s words.

Lord, where can we find wisdom?

“There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined…
But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?”

Reflect briefly on some decisions you have made. Move chronologically backward. Spend no more than sixty seconds weighing each one as wise or unwise.

Reflect on one from yesterday.

Then one from the weekend.

Then one from last week.

Then one from two weeks or more.

Now return to the words of Job on wisdom’s value.

“No mortal comprehends its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.
The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.”

Reflect on some places you have looked for wisdom.

Articles? Advisors? Academic research?

Thank God for human wisdom! We must, however, confess to God that human wisdom can only take us as far as human understanding, which even the greatest of scientists would admit continually finds more questions than it answers.

Ask God to open to us the true and timeless wisdom that comes from one unlimited source.

“God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
…he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.
And he said to the human race,
‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom.’”

Thank God for his wisdom that is first of all pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3.17).

Ask God for his continual grace to grant you his wisdom in each moment of the remaining week, the remaining month, and the rest of this year.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Deliver me, O Lord, by your hand from those whose portion is life in this world. — Psalm 17.14

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Wisdom—A Spouse, A Path, A Healer

Wisdom is like a healer…gives our bodies nourishment for what needs to grow and medicine for what is sick…Forsaking wisdom is slowly poisoning ourselves.

Wisdom—A Spouse, A Path, A Healer

Read more about Wisdom Versus Obedience

Wisdom is mined from a deep relationship with God. It is refined in the crucible of life.

Wisdom Versus Obedience