Job 23-24
Job longs to find God, to plead his case, and to understand why sinners seem to thrive while the righteous suffer. His questions are relevant even today—especially for parents trying to raise kind, compassionate children in a world that often rewards selfishness. This reflection explores how we can model goodness, nurture empathy, and teach our children that while injustice may persist, kindness still carries eternal weight.
SUMMARY
Chapter 23: Job’s Search for God
Job responds to his friend’s accusations and advice. He expresses his deep desire to find God and present his case before Him. Job believes that if he could find God, he would be able to argue his innocence and that he would be saved. He argues that, despite his efforts, God remains elusive. Job can’t find him in the east nor the west, the north nor the south. Still, Job is confident that he is a noble man, and that he has followed God’s ways faithfully. He asserts his hope that God would ultimately vindicate him. Job also admits to being afraid of His presence because of how powerful He is. What God desires, He does.
Chapter 24: The Mystery of Injustice
Job shifts his focus to the broader issue of injustice in the world. He again questions why evil people seem to prosper and why God doesn’t hold them accountable. Job describes various wrongdoings committed by oppressors: the poor are driven off the land, widows and orphans are mistreated, and the needy suffer while the wicked appear secure. He points out that some people openly defy God yet go unpunished, which perplexes him. Job knows that God is still watching these sinful people. They may be important now, but when they die, they are made unimportant.
SIDEBAR
When Job says sinners become unimportant in death, he likely means that despite their status, they contributed little of eternal value. Their lives were hollow, self-centered, and unrighteous. They left no lasting spiritual legacy. For many of us that believe there is an after-life, we want everlasting peace (a.k.a., heaven). Consequently, we try to be good people to reap the ultimate reward.
Accountability to God
Job states that he fears God. I would argue that it is good to live with a sense of accountability to a greater good. It is beneficial to know that our actions have consequences beyond ourselves. Without that accountability, there would be constant chaos and debauchery. We teach children at a young age to be kind to others and to abide by the rules. But what happens when children see people who act selfishly or cruelly still “winning” in life?
Teaching Our Children
According to author John Pavlovitz, we often tell our kids that “love wins” or “cheaters never prosper,” but they eventually see the cracks in those promises. Parents can help explain away this discrepancy by modeling the long game of goodness. We can acknowledge the tension by stating, “yes, sometimes bad people do well for a while.” Or point out deeper awards like peace of mind, meaningful relationships, and eternal significance. In fact, we can teach that kindness actually leads to happiness.
The Science Behind Happiness
Being kind boosts oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. Oxytocin is known as the “love hormone” which plays a key role in social bonding and nurturing behavior. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that lends to motivation, pleasure, and positive moods. Serotonin also helps to regulate mood and can be referred to as the “feel-good” chemical. There is even a phenomenon called “helper’s high” where people get a natural euphoric feeling of well-being after performing a good deed.
INTENTION
Help someone today. Encourage our children to help someone today. As parents, we can model good behavior for our children. Quick example…one day, my daughter and I were walking on a pier that had a restaurant. A man from the restaurant had dropped several trays. I told my daughter we should help him pick them up. The man was so grateful when we handed him the trays. Not only did we make the man happy, but my daughter and I had a pep in our step on the way to the car.
