Being People of Character

Introduction

I hope you have a Bible with you. If you didn’t bring one, there should be one in the pew in front of you, and I invite you to get it now and go with me to the book of Job. In the Old Testament, to the book of Job. If you need help finding it, just go to Psalms and take a left. Job chapter 1. It’ll be the beginning in the text for our lesson this morning. Boy, what a difference a week makes, huh? Sun is shining. The forecast looks good. And we’re so thankful to our God, as has already been indicated in a couple times, that brought us through safely through the storm. And it’s so good to be assembled back together as a church family, isn’t it?

Be blessed by our presence together, our edification, our study, and our worship together. And we want to welcome our visitors as well. If you’re visiting from out of town, you’re to be commended for your timing. Glad you came this week and not last week. If you’re visiting from the community, maybe the storm has brought you here. Maybe the earth-shattering events humbled you and made you reconsider the order of your life. If that’s the case, thank God for the storm. It takes that to remind us of what’s most important in life and where we need to be focused mentally and spiritually and really even physically. We can thank God for the storm. Thank you for being here, and I hope that you’re blessed in our study together from the book of Job this morning.

If I were to ask you to describe Job, the man Job, with one word. What word comes to mind? Probably patience. You would borrow the words of James, the patience of Job, the perseverance. And that’d be a good description of Job in one word. Maybe you would describe Job as a man of faith. And that’d be true. That’s an apt description of this man that though he faced so many things and had many questions about what he faced. Ultimately and through it all, he was a man of faith. His trust was in God even when he didn’t understand. But this morning I’d like to give one other word to describe Job. And that’s the word that the text gives. And that is that Job was a man of character, integrity.

Someone has defined character or integrity as who you really are. Reputation is who people think you are. But your character is who you really are, with no pretense, no hypocrisy, no layers to it at all. This is who you really are. The study of the life of Job and the circumstances of Job is really a study of yes, his patience, of his faith, but also of his character. We see who Job really is. And I’d like to use the example of Job this morning and look at three lessons from Job in how that you and I can be men and women of character. Let’s remind ourselves about the circumstances of the story of Job. Job chapter 1, and in verse 1 says, There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job.

And that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. What a wonderful introduction to this man. Blameless and upright, feared God and shunned evil. That’s a wonderful description of a man’s character. But it’s made even more wonderful when you consider who gave him that description. This is the words of God. The book of Job’s inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. And so it’s God himself telling us that Job was a man who was blameless and upright, feared God and shunned evil. Here’s a good little exercise, maybe an uncomfortable exercise. But what if there were a book of the Bible written about you? And me. What if I said, turn over this morning to the book of Ken? How would God describe me in that first verse?

How would he describe you? In looking at Job, God says, here’s a man who’s blameless and upright, fears God, and shuns evil. Now you know the story. Satan is going to come to God and say, that’s not really who Job is. Job is a good guy because Job’s got it good. In fact, God, you’ve kind of protected him. You’ve put a hedge around him and protected him. He’s got a wonderful family. He’s a wealthy man. Everything’s going right for Job. That’s the only reason he’s a good guy. In fact, Satan challenges God by saying, You take all of those things away, and then you’ll really see who Job is. Well, you know how the story goes. In the worst day of Job’s life, all of it is taken away.

1. When Faced With Adversity, Maintain Our Character

One servant comes to him and begins to give him bad news, and he no longer, he no more than gets the words out of his mouth, and another servant comes up with even worse news, followed by another servant. And in one day, his massive wealth, everything that he owns, has been destroyed. There’s no insurance. There’s no Red Cross, there’s no FEMA coming to rescue. It’s all gone. But that pales into comparison at the news that all of his children, whom he loved dearly, are dead. The first lesson that we can learn from Job, from our study of character and looking at a man such as Job, is that when we’re faced with adversity, we must maintain our character. You remember that Satan said to God, Job is a good guy, or appears to be a good guy, because everything’s going good.

You take that away from him and you’ll see who he really is. You know, in a sense, Satan was right. In a sense, Satan was right in the sense that he was saying, you see him on his worst day, and you’ll really see who Job is. But Satan was dead wrong about who Job really was. It wasn’t because he was wealthy. It wasn’t because he had a good family. It wasn’t because everything was going right. Job was a man of character because he was a man of character. Job is described, remember how he’s described there in Job 1 verse 1? Blameless, upright, one who feared God and shunned evil. He’s had the worst day of his life. He’s lost everything near and dear to him, including his own children.

Now notice how he’s described in chapter 1. Or excuse me, chapter 2. Look over in chapter 2, after this horrible day where everything is taken away. Look in verse 2, or verse 3, excuse me. Job 2, verse 3. Then the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil, and still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without cause. Do you see that? The way Job is described before the adversity is the exact same way he’s described after the adversity. Word for word, blameless and upright, fears God and shuns evil. With one exception. God adds one word in chapter 2 after he’s gone through the adversity, and that word is integrity.

Or character. Because God is saying to Satan, now, you really see who Job is. That he wasn’t all of those things because things were going right. He was just really all of those things. Someone has said that character isn’t made an adversity, it’s merely revealed. And it’s revealed who Job really was. That in the good times on the mountains and in the valley, he was blameless and upright. One who feared God and shunned evil. You know, many times we make excuses for ourselves and for others. You ever met somebody under bad circumstances? And that person really wasn’t a nice person. And maybe some friend of theirs comes to you and say, I need to apologize for old so-and-so. He’s not himself today. He’s had a bad day.

Well, I know what they’re saying there. But the lesson of Job would tell us, yeah, we’re really seeing the real person. On your worst day. You find out who you really are. Not when times are good, but when they’re bad. You find out who you really are when you have to take a cold shower in a hot house. When the food in the refrigerator and the freezer is foiling. When trees and limbs and parts of fence are all in your yard. That’s when your character is revealed. Hold your finger in the book of Job and go to the New Testament with me, in the book of James, chapter one.

James chapter one, beginning in verse two says, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. The testing of your faith.

Count it joy when hard times come. Because that’s testing your faith. Testing it maybe in a dual nature, testing it in the sense of finding out what it’s really made of, but also testing in the sense of strengthening it. Job’s integrity held firm because his faith was tested. You know, are times good for you right now?

If you can say yes, then now’s the time to prepare for when they’re bad. Now’s the time to be studying. Now’s the time to be fellowshipping your brethren. Now’s the time to be enjoying the blessings of God, learning from them, building your character for the bad times. Because there may not be quite as devastating as the bad day that Job had.

But life has taught us bad days are coming. And we need to be preparing now. That’s when you find out who you really are.

I said at the beginning of the lesson, a lot can happen in a week. A lot can happen in a year. Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the death of my mother. Mom died on September the 18th, one year ago. Three months later, my dad died.

2. When Tempted to Do Otherwise, Let Our Character Show

Six months after the death of my dad, my brother died. Totally unexpected. Throw in that. We were robbed. We moved, and we went through a hurricane. A lot can happen in a year. But when you’re faced with adversity, not only must you maintain your character, but your character will be revealed. The second lesson we learned from Job is that when we’re tempted to do otherwise, we must let our character show. Think about Job again. In fact, go back to Job chapter 2. Job chapter 1 talks about the worst day of his life. He lost everything. All of his earthly possessions, his children have been killed in one day. The second round, by the time we pick up in chapter 2, the second round of persecutions have come.

And now Satan afflicts Job’s body. And when we’re reintroduced to Job, Job is sitting in a pile of ashes, and he has a piece of broken pottery, and he’s scraping the open wounds for just some kind of relief. And his wife comes to it. Really, all he has left is his wife.

And what does she say? Look over with me in Job chapter 2. And in verse 9. Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die. What a horrible thing to say.

Someone has observed, now please note, put this in the transcript. I didn’t say this, somebody else did. That Job was the most afflicted man that ever lived because he lost his wealth, he lost his children, and he lost his health, but he kept his wife. And that’s not really a wife joke. That’s not a sexist joke, but it’s true, isn’t it?

Because at the time, at his lowest time, when he needed somebody, the one that’s closest to him that should have been his helper, his encourager. He needed her to come and wrap her arms around him and said, Honey, I’m so sorry. What can I say or do to help?

When he needed her to say, we’ll get through this, I don’t know how, but we’ll get through this together. She said instead, curse God and die. Job’s been afflicted with adversity. And now he’s being tempted. But what does he do? Verse 10 says, But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God? And shall we not accept adversity? And all this, Job did not sin with his lips. When he’s tempted, not just tempted, but tempted at his lowest and weakest moment, not just tempted, not just tempted at his weakest and lowest moment, but tempted by the closest person to him, he still maintains his character. Forever showing us it can be done. I don’t know.

The text really doesn’t tell us how much time transpired between verses 9 and 10 when Job’s wife said, curse God and die, and he says, Oh no, I’m not going to do that. But it seems to me from the rest of the pictures of the character of Job and the way the text reads that there wasn’t a long gap in between there. Ain’t that the way kind of way you picture it? That he almost instantly said, No. It’s a powerful lesson for us there. To not flirt with the temptation. The longer it sticks around, the more difficult it’s going to be to resist. I believe it seems to me that Job almost instantly says, I’m not, he puts it away from himself. You probably won’t have a hard time figuring out why many of my illustrations revolve around food.

But if you’re on a diet and somebody brings a dozen crispy cream donuts, when’s the best time to get rid of them? And by get rid of them I mean move them out of the house.

Can anyone take fire into their bosom and not be burned? The wise man says. You’re going to be tempted. You’re going to be tempted at your weakest moments.

3. When Everybody Else Is Giving Up and Giving In

You’re going to be tempted by those closest to you. And just like on your days of adversity, it’s then your character will be revealed. And so build that character now. And be ready to give a swift response. Well, the third lesson from Job is that when everybody else, seemingly at least, when everybody else around you is giving up and giving in, let your character show. Job’s had that worst day of his life. The closest person to him comes to him and tempts him to curse God and die. And now the rest of the book, you know, is this series of back and forth speeches between Job and his three acquaintances. And they’re together trying to figure out why this is happening. And none of them really have a good answer as to why it’s happening.

In fact, their answers are just dead wrong. But Job’s wrestling with this. Why? Here I am, I’m a good guy. Job wasn’t arrogant about this, but he knew what God said about him. He was blameless, upright, feared God, and shunned evil. Then why is this happening to me? Not only was he wondering why this bad stuff is happening to a good person, he could look out his window and see wicked people. That good stuff was happening to. Look over in Job chapter 21 at an observation that Job made. Start in the seventh verse of Job chapter 21. Job 21, 7 says, Why did the wicked live and become old? Yes, become mighty in power. Their descendants, their descendants are established with them in their side and their offspring before their eyes.

Paul’s there. What had happened to Job’s descendant? And he can look outside and see these wicked people going and having a picnic with their children. That must have stunned. Their houses, continuing in verse 9, their houses are safe from fear. Neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull breeds without failure, their cow, calves without miscarriage. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They sing to the tambourine in the harp and rejoice to the sound of the flute. Do you see the dilemma that Job was facing? Here I am, a good guy. I’m trying to do what’s right, and look what it’s getting me. And I open up my window and see all these wicked people. And they’re prospering.

But again, the words still ring true. In all this. Job did not sin with his lips. Job couldn’t figure it out.

Why everybody else, all the wicked around him were prospering. Why this good guy was having such a hard time. But he was still blameless and upright. He still feared God and maintained his integrity. You ever feel like that sometime? Feel like Job or feel like Elijah, like you’re the only one that hasn’t bowed the knee to Baal. Feel outnumbered. Like you’re the only one who’s the only one at work, or the only one at school, or the only one in your community or your country who’s trying to stand up for what’s right. And everybody else is wicked. It’s then that your character is revealed, isn’t it? It’s hard. It’s hard to maintain your integrity when everybody else is going the other way. Let me illustrate it this way.

Have you ever been to the Atlanta airport? Remember one time I was flying somewhere in a gospel meeting and living in Alabama at the time, everything funneled through the Atlanta International Airport. Didn’t matter where you were going. If you’re flying to the West Coast, you had to back up in Atlanta to get a run and go.

And I remember this one time where I was making a connecting flight, and my connection wasn’t going, I wasn’t going to have much time between landing and taking off. And so I was going to have to hurry between my arrival gate and my departure gate. And I really believe that it’s somebody’s job at Delta Airlines to make sure that those two gates are as far apart as possible. That if the computer randomly says you’re landing at 8 gate 812 and you depart from gate 818, that somebody goes, oh no, no, no. You’re going to arrive at gate A12 and depart from gate Z53. And that’s the way it was that day. I knew I didn’t have much time. I knew my depart arrival and departure gates were far apart.

I had no time to spare. And so I grabbed my carry-on bag, a satchel with my Bible and my notes, and I was in the runner’s position, ready to go. Came up to the end of the concourse of the uh airplane, took a left and started going through fast as I could. And you could probably tell it’s not real easy for me to slip through a crowd. There were a whole lot of pardon me, excuse me, oh, I’m sorry, that’ll grow back. It was just I I was hitting everybody. And there may be some slight exaggeration in my next two comments. Number one is everybody in the state of Georgia was in that airport that day. Number two, they were all going the opposite direction of me.

I was the only one going this way, everybody else was going that way. And I remember thinking it’d be so much easier to go where they’re going. I don’t know where they’re going, but I could have just, even as big as I am, I could have just turned around and done this, and they’d have pushed me through that airport. But I needed to go the other way. You ever feel like that spiritually? Like you’re the only one going that way, and everybody else is going the other way. And be honest. In your darkest Job moments, you’ve thought about turning around and going with them. But Job forever stands as a light in a dark world. Telling us that nobody, understand this. Nobody determines your character but you.

Conclusion

Not what your mother says about you. But who you really are on your worst day at your toughest temptation? And when you’re the only one, be a Job. Be a man of integrity. And be a woman of character. You’re not a Christian this morning. We understand that whatever light we might show is simply light that we reflect, because He is the light. We simply reflect the light that He shines in our lives. If we let our light shine, it’s to bring glory to Him from whom all light and righteousness flows. Why not become a child of God this morning with the full assurance that you know that you can on your darkest day be a person of integrity if Christ liveth in you. Why not become a Christian this morning?

Maybe you’ve done that, and the circumstances of life have got you down and have pushed you in the wrong direction. It’s not too late to decide to turn around and swim upstream again. If we can help you as you respond to the gospel call this morning or help you spiritually in any way, why not let it be known right now? As together we stand and as we sing.