I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:6 NKJV
Have you ever wronged someone you love, only to weep in bitterness at your actions? It’s a horrible feeling to recognize how you’ve wounded a loved one, and the sorrow cuts deep. While reading through Scripture I see this happening in the lives of many who realized they had wronged the Lord, but their responses varied.
How do you respond when your sins are revealed? Are you sorry? Repentant? Do you lash out rather than recognize and change? The Bible is full of different examples of how others have reacted to the revealing of their sins. When David was approached by the prophet Nathan about his adultery and murder, David confessed his sin and repented (II Sam. 12:13). When Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on the throne and was made aware of his sin, he confessed and repented (Isa. 6:5).
When Job was confronted by the Lord Himself, he confessed and repented. When Peter realized that he had denied the Lord three times as Jesus made eye contact with him, he wept bitterly in repentance (Luke 22:61-62). There were others who did not repent, though their hearts were pricked, or they were sorry for their actions but not repentant. Judas dealt with his guilt by trying to hang himself; he was sorry but not repentant (Matt. 27:5).
The Pharisees gnashed their teeth at Stephen and stoned him out of anger (Acts 7:54). What’s your response? When I read this passage from the book of Job this morning, I wept bitterly because I realized how I had wronged the Lord with my thoughts and behaviors, but I haven’t always reacted that way. There was a time when I would lash out at others in anger and blame them for my actions. There was a time when I would refuse correction and simply believe that others were wrong or would think to myself “Who are they to tell me what to do?”. How do you respond?
A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.
Proverbs 15:12
