Job 13:9

Will it go well with you when He examines you?

   Could you deceive Him, as you play men for fools?

 

Social media is all the rage. As in people are really mad. I read where a high profile congress person was all upset when she saw something negative about her posted on social media. My personal opinion is that the exact post she saw should have been taken down by the host platform, but apparently those in power want everyone to be able to post offensive material and to never get in trouble for it, unless of course we hold views opposed to theirs.

‘Go’ was also ‘be’, ‘turn out’ or similar. ‘Examines’ was also ‘searches you out’, questions’, or ‘probes’.

‘Deceive’ was also ‘mock’ or ‘fool’. Mock seemed a stretch, but it does put a more negative context on trying to deceive someone.

My paradigm for this passage is sitting before God during the last judgement. I always picture myself unworthy but covered by the righteousness of Christ. I know God cannot be deceived and I assume the question here is rhetorical. If you think you can fool God, I would say you do not know Him. The God I believe in is all knowing.

I have interacted with social media a little over the years. I got on Twitter trying to track down a baseball card but had to leave it behind when the offensive material became impossible to avoid. I signed up for Instagram but quickly decided the only stuff I want to see was from my kid and she could contact me directly for stuff she wanted me to see. (Big Hint There.) I have been on Facebook a lot comparably, but as much as I tried to use it to follow family and stay up with friends, and interest people in my blog, I became overwhelmed with the shear volume of crap I did not want to see when trying to do so. Without social media, I know I am missing out, but I do not fear that.

I am reading Ezekiel these days and today it referenced Job and Daniel and Noah. Their righteousness was put up on a pedestal so to speak, but God still said it could only save them individually. Jesus said He was the only way to salvation, but many, many people are convinced that is too restrictive and that their must be some other method where being good enough is sufficient to overcome all one’s sins.

A few years back, a sixteen-year-old ran over a bunch of people on their bicycles. The kid got off with nothing, but some of those victims are too scared to ride their bikes or too injured to do so. Maybe that kid should have to think about that every day. Doubt he can make up for that with a few good acts.

I do things I know are not right. It’s called sin. I never expect God to not know about it, but I sometimes would not do those things if other people could see me or understand or whatever. I know God forgives me because of Jesus, but I’m not sure people are so forgiving. Makes me wonder why we as a culture let all this negativity on social media continue. But they can say bad words and show naked people on tv these days too, so that may be why I try to watch so little.

Written 4/21/24, Posted 7/17/24, Job 294