Two Men, Two Wives, Two Different Outcomes
A Cautionary Devotional Reflection
“With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live” (Genesis 31:32).
Did Jacob ever reflect back on these words he spoke to Laban; not knowing it was his dear Rebecca who had taken her father’s idols when he had fled from Laban? Did he ever flash back to these words after Rachel died while giving birth to the son he would name Benjamin after Rachel took her last breath? (Genesis 35:18) We aren’t told and some will suppose it was just happenstance or coincidence, but it’s a thought worth consideration – did Jacob hasten his wife’s death through the utterance of rash words? Because of the power held by the tongue.
Now flash backward to Job in the midst of his troubles: “Curse God and die” Job’s wife proclaimed after first asking, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity?” (Job 2:9) Despite his wife’s audacity to utter such a thing, Job had a measured response:
“You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
This is a man who knew how to control his tongue! His response is astounding. And Job’s use of the word “adversity” does not seem strong enough a word to describe all that had befallen him, but this gives evidence of his ability to measure out his words. And the Author of it all makes sure the reader takes note of this most important detail:
“In all of this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10)
This! Despite the fact Job was married to a woman who had the audacity to say, “curse God and die.” But this wasn’t a “one-off” for Job. Earlier in the story, when the news first arrived of all that he’d suffered as loss, his immediate reaction was to tear his robe, fall to the ground, and worship. Wait, What? Job worshiped. And then he went on to declare, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall return” before ending his statement of faith and trust in God with, “Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
And once again, Scripture makes note that we take note:
“In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 1:22).
This is nothing less than astounding. Here is a man who can control his tongue in the midst of death and destruction on every side. How many of us can it be said that in the biggest trial of our lives we respond as Job did? With “blessed be the name of the Lord.” No fanfare, no extensive bewailing, no angry fists shaking at the heavens, just “blessed be the name of the LORD.” I would say a remnant.
And Job continued to hold fast to his faith and to guard his tongue in the midst of his discourse with his three “friends turned critics.” He’s attacked, he’s criticized, he’s misunderstood, yet he still maintains integrity with his words when he declares, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
James would later say, “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:2) and it was in the midst of an attack on his physical body that Job was able to utter these words, which simply adds more weight to the words he spoke.
And this is one of the mysteries of the life of Job. What an example he leaves us to choose our words wisely, not rashly, not harshly, not unkindly, but to maintain a level of integrity with every word we speak. And although Job later became increasingly bold with his words, till the moment God revealed His omnipotence to Job, effectually putting a stop to Job’s contentions, his life serves an example of the ability we hold to choose wisely the words we speak.
This is by no means a theological treatise on the life of Job. Far from it. It is merely a look at a man who suffered much and how he responded and what we can learn from it. Job wasn’t a perfect man; by his own admission early in his story it is all too apparent he carried fear: “For the thing I feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me” (Job 3:25).
But He is a man of whom it’s recorded twice, “in all of this, Job did not sin with his lips.” And ultimately he is a man whom God made note of and whom God commended as “My servant Job.”
And in the end God had Job pray for His friends. God used Job’s prayer, jobs words for these men as part of their process of restoration. God had Job intercede on their behalf because His anger was aroused against them because of the words they spoke; they had not spoken of Him what was right “as My servant Job has” (Job 42:8). And when Job prayed for his friends he himself was restored.
And what of Jacob? His innermost thoughts were never recorded for us. And his life presents an entirely different set of lessons for us. But he, like Job, wrestled with God and prevailed. Both men were blessed. Both fathered many children. But one knew when to hold his tongue and one didn’t. One held a lying tongue and paid the price for it, and one held an integrous tongue and was commended for it. And one kept his wife although he lost all else, while one lost the wife he labored long for, but then lost her while she labored.
Two men, Two wives (although yes, Jacob had two wives) and two different outcomes. And could it be because death and life are in the power of the tongue? (Proverbs 18:21)
May we guard our words well (and bridle our tongues when the situation call for it).
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3