Level Ground; Job 33-34, Proverbs 17

May the mumbling commence!

Be careful how you talk about leaders.  Which leaders, do you ask?  Be careful how you talk about both religious leaders and political leaders.  Oh, and, be careful how you talk about your boss at work, too.  Man, that’s a tall order, but all of humanity is level in God’s eyes.  Read the words of Elihu from Job chapter thirty-four:

"If you have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words: 

Should one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn Him who is most just? 

Is it fitting to say to a king, 'You are worthless,'

And to nobles, 'You are wicked'? 

Yet He is not partial to princes,

Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor;

For they are all the work of His hands. 

In a moment they die, in the middle of the night;

The people are shaken and pass away;

The mighty are taken away without a hand.” (Verses 16-20)

They are sobering words.  Don’t hand the keys of the kingdom or nation to anyone who hates justice.  Yeah, but how do we define justice?  Justice is defined only by God.  We look to God as our leader in all things.  In truth, Jesus and God the Father are our Kings, our Presidents.

It is not fitting to call our leaders worthless or wicked.  God will judge – both the leaders and the people they lead.  God does not favor the rich or the poor – but with our myopic human vision we may perceive a preferential option for the poor (as Liberation Theology puts it). 

God is simply leveling the playing field.  Some people must decrease in wealth of all sorts.  Some people must increase.  And to those people who are asked to sacrifice, there will always be a cry of unfairness.  Cross reference the parable of Jesus of the workers in the vineyard.

And, in the end, the rich, the poor and all people in between meet the same fate.  The ground is level at the foot of the cross, so let us go hand-in-hand to Jesus.  Jesus is truly our only hope.

Don’t put your trust in things that will all fade away!  Don’t trust in any political parties or political leaders for your salvation.  That would be trust misplaced.

Let us give ourselves over to God to test us and to help us come out pure, refined.  Read from Proverbs chapter seventeen:

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

But the Lord tests the hearts. (Verse 3)

"Test my heart, oh God.  Make it ever pure.  Test my heart, oh God.  May I be like you.  You are the potter.  I am the clay.  Mold me, and make me.  This is what I pray."

Test my attitudes toward leaders in my community and in the church.  May I afford them honor and respect.  May we journey together toward the only hope anyone has – Jesus the Christ.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out