Identity & Representation: Part One
"Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?"
When it comes to expressing my thoughts on paper, I'm unwilling to be as transparent as the very Scriptures themselves are. If I were to write the very quote above, I'd worry: "what will people think about me?" That's what I ask myself, and that's when my fingers stop typing, my hands stop writing, and my mind stops thinking.
The Spirit of God, however, inspired the writers to write, to tell it like it was and is; and we all are beneficiaries. The Spirit thus invites us to think about God -- deeply, openly, curiously.
The truth is that at some point in their lives, many men and women will ask the same question that Job asked. The Scriptures comfort us with the demonstration that God has the most fundamental understanding of human nature.
We are in solidarity with the men and women of the Bible. The actors in Holy Writ were men and women just like us. They are fragile, fearful, corrupt and sinful -- just like me.
They commit murder and adultery. They lie, cheat, and steal. They sometimes have little, if any, faith. The lineup of the usual suspects works because all are sinners. All fall short.
Moses and David both murdered another man. Jacob schemed to promote himself over his brother. Pre-conversion Paul tortured those who didn't believe what he believed. Abraham lied (about his own wife, no less) not once, but twice, in a human attempt to protect himself. Peter denied Christ three times.
Thomas admitted his unbelief to Jesus himself. Rahab was a prostitute. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent -- both blamed God. Others who came to Christ included swindlers, people who had failed at marriage (repeatedly), homeless, sick, tormented, and uber-religious.
The picture of humanity in Scripture is real. No punches are pulled. Deceit and depravity are broadcast clearly for all to see. God is not worried with "what will people think?" No, he instead invites us to think clearly.
The answer to Job's question -- "why is life given to a man whose way is hidden" -- comes in the New Testament: "Your life is now hidden with Christ in God; and when Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."