He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. – Job 36:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 25, 2018): Job 36

A story is told about Queen Elizabeth II on an incognito walkabout in Scotland. Apparently, as she was walking around, and likely without the bright colors that normally adorns her, someone recognized “her Majesty.” Well, kind of. Someone pointed to her with the words “She looks just like the Queen.” Queen Elizabeth paused and remarked “How reassuring.”

I am convinced that there is something deep inside of us that wants to be noticed. Celebrities often rail against it and complain that they no longer possess any kind of a private life, but the reality is that, while the constant barrage of fans might be annoying, their absence would be equally disturbing. We all want fans, and to be recognized. Facebook might be proof of that fact. We will do anything (almost) to get our audience (fans) to press the “like” button. Maybe we should be glad that there isn’t a “dislike” button to even things out. 

In the midst of all that is going wrong for Job, the patriarch remarks that he feels like God has taken his eyes off of him. It was all that Elihu needed to hear to convict Job off wrongdoing. Obviously, if God had removed his eyes from Job, that action was a direct result of Job’s sin, at least in the eyes of Elihu. In Elihu’s world, God never removes his eyes from the righteous, and because the eyes of God are on the righteous, their circumstances reflect that attention (they are enthroned with kings and exalted forever.) Job’s situation is once again evidence of Job’s sin.

But the words of Elihu are the most damaging of lies. He begins by saying that the eyes of God are always on the righteous. This is completely true. However, the fact that God’s eyes are on us does not mean that we always feel like we have garnered his attention. Our reality, in the ups and downs of life, is that we often feel alone and unrecognized. The last statement in this verse is equally true; the righteous will be exalted forever. As with most dangerous lies, it is the middle section that presents the problem – the righteous are enthroned with kings. Job, sitting in a patch of burned ground, covered with sores for which there was no relief, and having lost his family and most of his material possessions, was not enthroned. This lack was proof of two things in the eyes of Elihu – Job was not righteous, and God had indeed taken his eyes off of him.

It is this lie that is often present in our own lives. Your circumstance does not mean that God no longer sees you. It doesn’t matter that you might be on a bit of an incognito “walkabout.” God sees you, recognizes you, and he knows who you are.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Job 37