Job 25:5-6
Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!”
Tag: The evilness of man
Job is in much pain and in much internal conflict. He is trying to wrap his mind around his circumstances while, at the same time, scrap the scabs from his body. He wants answers, but more importantly he wants empathy and understanding and comfort. Bildad, one of his "friends" (who originally came to comfort him - Job 2:10) decides to add to his internal conflict by reminding him all men are "worms." Firs, it should be noted that Bildad is not wrong. However, his logic is off. How can he claim that all men are "maggots" and "worms," inferring that Job does not have any way to criticize God, while at the same time, being a man, criticize Job. Once again we have the "truth" being used to batter Job, rather than to comfort Job. Bildad, like many believers, uses the truth to condemn his fellow believer, rather than uplift and comfort him. It is true, man is nothing. However, David in the Psalms uses that thought to humble us and to see the majesty of God:
Psalms 8:4
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
The writer of Hebrews echoes those same thoughts (Hebrews 2:6). Man is truly evil. But, that should magnify the grace of God in our hearts. The fact that we a maggots is not a surprise. The fact that God loves us, despite being like maggots, should surprise us. God's grace reaches down and lifts us up. Job need not claim his innocence in this struggle, but should claim the grace of God through this struggle. We are truly evil. Job is justifying himself, as we all would. Yet, man is truly evil and yet God is mindful of us? That is God's grace and His grace trumps that.
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