Studying Job

Several times I've thought about studying Job during my quiet time - but I never do.  Probably because, its a bit deep and I'm avoiding it.  Well, my OT Ethics class covered Job this week.  Yay.

First of all - if you've known me during my career as a student you will know that I'm a terrible procrastinator.  If you know me now, you'll know that I'm incredibly unmotivated in this whole actually graduating thing.  Put those two together - and I know without a doubt that if I had appropriately applied myself I would have gotten a lot more out of this study of Job.  But, its something ok?  And it counts as homework, not quite time, so its ok that I wasn't giving 100%.

Anyway, one of my textbooks talked about God desiring our honesty.  Honesty.  Transparency.  Job complained.  A lot.  How many times in youth group were you taught not to complain.  (Most of the time, warranted.)  But I think that carries over too much into our adult lives.  Our culture, even our Christian culture, stresses being positive, looking on the bright side, not complaining.  Sometimes it seems as if something negative is said, its labeled complaining.  In our Christian (and American) culture complaining has a negative connotation and is childish, undesireable behavior.  How are we supposed to have the freedom to be honest with our Christian family?

God desires honesty.  We desired honesty in our churches.  The body of Christ should be the safest place to be completely open and honest about our lives.  We should be able to go to one another and be real, even if the current 'real' is negative, being open and honest with one another.  If we can do that, how much healthier would our churches be?  If we could really have the freedom to be honest without fear of rejection.  We could care for one another.  We could carry each others burdens.  When someone says 'how are you,' you should have the freedom to say 'life is really hard right now.'

Anyway, that's my tirade about what I was learning tonight.  I'm a really transparent person, so this struck with me...