Impartial

Yet He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands.

 --Job 34:19  (NKJV)

From the daily Bible reading on September 6, 2013 of Proverbs 2:20-22; 2 Thessalonians 1; Job 33:12-34.

Elihu is a descendant of Buz, the nephew of Abraham, and apparently he has been present during the entire discourse between Job and his three friends but has remained silent until now because they are years older than he. He acknowledges that wisdom comes from God (please see "The Knowledge of God"), but not necessarily with age since the four men before him, while much older, have shown little wisdom in their arguments. And now at last he speaks, his anger burning within him because Job tries to justify himself before God (please see "Our True Justification"), and his friends, while finding no real answer to Job's woes, continue to condemn him. Patiently waiting his turn until his elders ran out of steam, Elihu finally speaks, rebuking Job and his companions for accusing God of hostility toward Job, and for failing to understand the true relationship between God and man.

After restating Job's case, Elihu notes that all this isn't necessarily from the hand of God. In this world, the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer probably more often than the other way around. God does not show preference. Jesus tells us that the Father "makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (please see Matthew 5:45). Job accuses God of wronging an innocent man, but Elihu contends that God, as the Sovereign Ruler of the universe, cannot be unjust in His reign over His creation. Elihu concisely sums this up in today's focus verse. God does not show partiality to kings and princes, to the rich and famous, to the formidable and influential. He treats the wealthy and the destitute, the powerful and the powerless, the wicked and the righteous alike. (Of course, we know this only holds true in this current life, in the world. When Jesus returns, all His believers, all the righteous, will share in His great victory.)

We are all the work of God's hands. He made us all, and in His heavenly image. We are all His, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor, the mighty and the lowly. We are all His creations, crafted the same, treated the same, loved the same. None of us should consider ourselves any better than any other for we are all God's children. When we feel or express ill-will toward another person, we are mistreating someone that our Father loves just as much as He loves us. We need to remember this each time we're behind what seems to be an inconsiderate driver in traffic, or have to deal with a rude public servant or impolite store clerk. God made each of us, treats us all with the same impartial hand, and loves us all equally. And that is why Jesus commands us to love one another as we love ourselves. God does, and so should we. Amen.

Father, we understand that You created all, that You are just in every way. We know that in this life there will be sunshine as well as rain on each of us. Yet sometimes, Lord, it seems the whole world is against us and beating us down. In those times, Father, forgive us when we come to You and ask for Your merciful intersession in our lives. Help us, Lord, with Your strength that our faith will see us through. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.