right and wrong

There’s a line from the movie “I Robot” that comes to mind often. The cop is trying to get the scientist to see the threat, and she won’t. So he says, “You’re the stupidest smart person I know!” Sometimes I’m tempted to say that to people.

This morning I thought similar things about young Elihu, the friend of Job who, after listening to the elders speak, unleashes a rant to tell them how it really is. And he turns out to be right in everything but the key point.

Here’s the key point that Elihu makes (Job 34:10-12)  "Far be it from God to do evil,

from the Almighty to do wrong. He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. 

Elihu is right on his first and last statements. It is unthinkable that God would pervert justice. He would never do evil or wrong. Elihu had a good understanding of God’s holiness.

But he was wrong in this significant way: we don’t get what our conduct deserves. Elihu sees a God of high standards and unwavering justice, but he misses the father who loved us enough to punish his son instead. Jesus repaid God for what I’ve done; God brought on Jesus what my conduct deserves. Elihu lived before Jesus, but history could have taught him of God’s mercy.

Sometimes I forget to live out this truth. Often when I sin I’m ashamed, which is good. But I get discouraged. I think I have to atone for my own sin. Life gets bleak because I never seem to get it right. 

When I just bring all that to Jesus, and beg the forgiveness his blood bought me, I feel wonderful. I relate to people better. I’m not so gloomy. It’s a beautiful thing to leave the guilt behind. So why don’t I always?

For me, the struggle isn’t so much with asking forgiveness as it is taking time for prayer. I tend to rush morning prayers because I have a schedule to meet, and then the day takes over and I never come back to it. And it’s hard to ask forgiveness of a God I’ve been ignoring.

As with everything else, it comes back to relationships. I feel the urgency of my relationships with my boss and co-workers, my friends and family. I prioritize those over my patient, ever-waiting, always-there God. That’s easiest, but it’s not right.