“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1, ESV)
A young man named Justin went to stay with his grandparents for the summer. Justin’s parents, being college professors, often took tour groups to Europe during the summer months when they weren’t teaching. Justin didn’t like traveling with the groups. He didn’t like the long hours and all the interruptions, so it was his choice to stay with his grandparents. He didn’t like it, but it was better than being stuck with a “bunch of touristy folks”.
During the second week of summer vacation at his grandparents, Justin visited the local youth center. There, he was introduced to a good number of people. He found two guys that he “clicked” with right off. They spent the afternoon discussing Warhammer 40K miniatures and board gaming. They even had the chance to play a few games together. Justin loved his new friends. At least three or four days a week, Justin went down to the youth center to meet with them. They had a blast.
In mid-July, Justin found out the city was sponsoring a festival. He asked his friends about it. They were excited about going. The two friends did warn Justin that some people often showed up drunk or on drugs and ruined the festival, with fights breaking out almost every year. The police were often called late in the evenings and even had foot patrols at the park where the festival was held. When Justin told his grandfather he was going to the festival, his grandfather pulled him aside, pointed right to his face, and said, “Promise me, Justin. Promise me, now. If you see anything wrong or illegal or someone gets rowdy, I want you to leave and come home immediately. You have to promise me!”
Justin was surprised at his grandfather’s insistence. He promised to come home right away if something “went down”. Later that night at the festival, a fight did break out. Justin and one of his friends left for home right away. Justin’s other friend wanted to stay and “watch what happened.” A block away, Justin heard gunshots. He quickened his pace. The next morning, Justin found out that during the melee that occurred at the festival, several people were injured. One person was in critical condition at a local hospital. The one who was in critical condition was Justin’s good friend. A stray gunshot pierced his leg. It was a hard thing for Justin to take. For days after, Justin woke up at night in a sweat thinking of how close he came to being there when the gunshots rang out. He was so glad he listened to his grandfather.
Justin’s grandfather knew well enough that when something evil is about to happen, it is best you are not there. The scripture for today reaffirms this understanding. In the very first sentence of the book of Job, it teaches that the prophet Job was “blameless and upright”. We are also told that Job “feared God”. Job was a faithful man, very close to God in heart and soul and mind. At the end of the verse, we are told one other characteristic of Job. He “turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Job knew about good and evil enough to realize that when evil is present, the best thing you can do is shun it, walk away from it, leave, or resist it. There may come a day when you will have to stand up against evil. However, most of the time, the best thing you can do is stay away from evil. A wise man knows to keep himself from evil places and people, or simply to refuse to participate in evil practices.
The story about Justin is a true one. This next story is true as well. In a small town in Pennsylvania, a group of teenagers got together at a Stephanie's house for a sleepover. Around midnight, they looked for something to do. For Christmas, Stephanie had received a Ouija Board. She suggested the friends turn out the lights, light a few candles, and see if they could talk to some spirits using the board. The five girls did just that. In the darkness of the flickering candlelight, Stephanie asked that some of the spirits come to answer their questions. She invited the spirits to guide their hands on the Ouija Board. The girls were surprised when the pointer on the board started moving and answering their queries. After an hour or so of “fun”, the girls decided to go to bed.
During the night, several of the girls had nightmares of a dark shape wanting to hurt them. Over the next days, one of the girls became physically ill and had to be taken to the hospital. No discernable illness was found. All the girls felt “watched”, “frightened to be alone”, or “uneasy in the dark”. Two weeks later, several of the girls’ parents got together when it was revealed what the girls had done with the Ouija Board. The board was burned, but several of the girls continued to have nightmares for months. One of the parents asked her daughter, “Why did you participate in a séance-kind-of-thing? We didn’t raise you to do stuff like that!” The girl replied, “I didn’t want to be the only one to say “no””. So, she just went along with it.
In a desire to fit in or belong to a group, people just “go along with things”, even when it will lead to evil. It takes a faithful person to refuse to participate in evil. Few, like Job, have the guts to turn away when evil comes calling. Often, they will just go with the flow and regret it later.
When interviewed after World War 2, a good number of concentration camp guards and staff were asked how they could ever participate in the murder of Jews, gypsies, poles, Russians, POWs, and others who were incarcerated there. Excuses like “it was my job”, “I didn’t want to be singled out for going against the Nazi party”, or “I didn’t think they would actually murder these people!” were often brought forth. The simple fact is that because these people didn’t walk away, they were partially responsible for the evil done to these prisoners. They lived with that guilt and shame. Some were executed for their part in the suffering.
If you do not “turn away from evil” like Job, you may find yourself participating in the Devil’s works. You might find yourself going down paths straight to hell. It is so easy to fall in with the wrong crowd, be talked into something unsavory, or cajoled into participating in an evil plan. Why chance it? When something in your soul tells you to walk away, you need to do it. If the Holy Spirit is screaming at you that something bad is about to happen, it is best to get out of that situation as soon as possible. Otherwise, you too may find yourself participating in evil.
Have you ever been “talked into” doing something wrong? Did you ever rightfully walk away from an unholy situation? Being faithful to God requires the ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil. Loving God requires you turn away from doing wrong. Don’t go along with the crowd, even the church crowd. Do what God tells you to do. Don’t ignore it when the Holy Spirit is urging you to change directions. It might be what saves your soul from torment.
During the second week of summer vacation at his grandparents, Justin visited the local youth center. There, he was introduced to a good number of people. He found two guys that he “clicked” with right off. They spent the afternoon discussing Warhammer 40K miniatures and board gaming. They even had the chance to play a few games together. Justin loved his new friends. At least three or four days a week, Justin went down to the youth center to meet with them. They had a blast.
In mid-July, Justin found out the city was sponsoring a festival. He asked his friends about it. They were excited about going. The two friends did warn Justin that some people often showed up drunk or on drugs and ruined the festival, with fights breaking out almost every year. The police were often called late in the evenings and even had foot patrols at the park where the festival was held. When Justin told his grandfather he was going to the festival, his grandfather pulled him aside, pointed right to his face, and said, “Promise me, Justin. Promise me, now. If you see anything wrong or illegal or someone gets rowdy, I want you to leave and come home immediately. You have to promise me!”
Justin was surprised at his grandfather’s insistence. He promised to come home right away if something “went down”. Later that night at the festival, a fight did break out. Justin and one of his friends left for home right away. Justin’s other friend wanted to stay and “watch what happened.” A block away, Justin heard gunshots. He quickened his pace. The next morning, Justin found out that during the melee that occurred at the festival, several people were injured. One person was in critical condition at a local hospital. The one who was in critical condition was Justin’s good friend. A stray gunshot pierced his leg. It was a hard thing for Justin to take. For days after, Justin woke up at night in a sweat thinking of how close he came to being there when the gunshots rang out. He was so glad he listened to his grandfather.
Justin’s grandfather knew well enough that when something evil is about to happen, it is best you are not there. The scripture for today reaffirms this understanding. In the very first sentence of the book of Job, it teaches that the prophet Job was “blameless and upright”. We are also told that Job “feared God”. Job was a faithful man, very close to God in heart and soul and mind. At the end of the verse, we are told one other characteristic of Job. He “turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). Job knew about good and evil enough to realize that when evil is present, the best thing you can do is shun it, walk away from it, leave, or resist it. There may come a day when you will have to stand up against evil. However, most of the time, the best thing you can do is stay away from evil. A wise man knows to keep himself from evil places and people, or simply to refuse to participate in evil practices.
The story about Justin is a true one. This next story is true as well. In a small town in Pennsylvania, a group of teenagers got together at a Stephanie's house for a sleepover. Around midnight, they looked for something to do. For Christmas, Stephanie had received a Ouija Board. She suggested the friends turn out the lights, light a few candles, and see if they could talk to some spirits using the board. The five girls did just that. In the darkness of the flickering candlelight, Stephanie asked that some of the spirits come to answer their questions. She invited the spirits to guide their hands on the Ouija Board. The girls were surprised when the pointer on the board started moving and answering their queries. After an hour or so of “fun”, the girls decided to go to bed.
During the night, several of the girls had nightmares of a dark shape wanting to hurt them. Over the next days, one of the girls became physically ill and had to be taken to the hospital. No discernable illness was found. All the girls felt “watched”, “frightened to be alone”, or “uneasy in the dark”. Two weeks later, several of the girls’ parents got together when it was revealed what the girls had done with the Ouija Board. The board was burned, but several of the girls continued to have nightmares for months. One of the parents asked her daughter, “Why did you participate in a séance-kind-of-thing? We didn’t raise you to do stuff like that!” The girl replied, “I didn’t want to be the only one to say “no””. So, she just went along with it.
In a desire to fit in or belong to a group, people just “go along with things”, even when it will lead to evil. It takes a faithful person to refuse to participate in evil. Few, like Job, have the guts to turn away when evil comes calling. Often, they will just go with the flow and regret it later.
When interviewed after World War 2, a good number of concentration camp guards and staff were asked how they could ever participate in the murder of Jews, gypsies, poles, Russians, POWs, and others who were incarcerated there. Excuses like “it was my job”, “I didn’t want to be singled out for going against the Nazi party”, or “I didn’t think they would actually murder these people!” were often brought forth. The simple fact is that because these people didn’t walk away, they were partially responsible for the evil done to these prisoners. They lived with that guilt and shame. Some were executed for their part in the suffering.
If you do not “turn away from evil” like Job, you may find yourself participating in the Devil’s works. You might find yourself going down paths straight to hell. It is so easy to fall in with the wrong crowd, be talked into something unsavory, or cajoled into participating in an evil plan. Why chance it? When something in your soul tells you to walk away, you need to do it. If the Holy Spirit is screaming at you that something bad is about to happen, it is best to get out of that situation as soon as possible. Otherwise, you too may find yourself participating in evil.
Have you ever been “talked into” doing something wrong? Did you ever rightfully walk away from an unholy situation? Being faithful to God requires the ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil. Loving God requires you turn away from doing wrong. Don’t go along with the crowd, even the church crowd. Do what God tells you to do. Don’t ignore it when the Holy Spirit is urging you to change directions. It might be what saves your soul from torment.