Job 19:1-4
‘Then Job responded, “How long will you torment me And crush me with words? These ten times you have insulted me; You are not ashamed to wrong me. Even if I have truly done wrong, My error stays with me.”‘
I haven’t counted, but there are a lot of chapters in which Job’s friends are accusing him. I’m going to guess around 30 chapters. Job points this out again, but with a different twist. He makes the point that even if he were wrong, they are way too extreme in their accusations.
They aren’t taking the biblical advice of Galatians 6:1, (true, it wasn’t around at their time). “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” They are taking turns piling on Job.
We are to approach others in a spirit of gentleness, lest we be tempted. If we are poor in spirit, this attitude is easier. This person understands Romans 3:9-18. It contains a long list of how we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, (paraphrase of Romans 3:23). It’s a very long and brutal description of our base nature. Not that we are all those things all the time, but are capable of any of them. The one poor in spirit knows this. Luke 18:13 demonstrates the attitude of one poor in spirit, “But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’” We know that we are capable of sinning. If God weren’t helping us, we may do so.
We should be gentle when correcting an errant brother, because we know we are capable of sinning. If we correct harshly, we are leaning on our own righteousness. Thus, not relying on God. They don’t know how vulnerable they are. Woe to that man. His day of temptation is coming.
Lord, help us to rely on You. Help us to be poor in spirit and be understanding of others. Help us look at ourselves and know that if You weren’t with us, we could easily stumble.