The False Corollary of Job's Friends

Gal 6.7,8 tells us the law of sowing and reaping: “A man reaps what he sows.”

Like Job’s friends, we tend to assume that the corollary of the law is also true: “A man has sown what he is reaping.” When we see someone enduring heavy trials, or suffering under some debilitating illness, we have the same impulse that the disciples of Jesus did when they saw the man born blind (John 9): we ask, what kind of sin must this person have committed to come under this chastening from God?

However, the corollary of the law of sowing and reaping is often not true. The man born blind had not sown an awful sin that resulted in his blindness. Nor had Jesus sown the unrighteousness that resulted in His crucifixion. In like manner, Job had not sown some perversion that resulted in his great tragedy. The Scriptures allow us to peek into the spiritual realm and see that some trials come from Satan or are brought about by the actions of other people and having nothing to do with specific sins we have committed.

The lesson for us is to be compassionate.

Don’t judge rashly.
Be gracious like Ashley!

posted by Roderick of TMin @ 9:29 PM 0 comments