Honest with God?

Genesis 49; Job 15; Luke 2; 1 Corinthians 3

A woman complained of her troubles and someone said, “Why don’t you tell God how you feel?” She replied, “Oh, I could never talk to God like that. It would be disrespectful.”

Job’s ‘friend’ had that attitude. He said to Job:

“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good? But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.” (Job 15:2–6)

Job later declared that he would not violate his integrity. Integrity means being the same person on the outside as on the inside. That is, it means not pretending ‘nice’ when you are angry or faking anything to make myself look good or more pious when I’m not what I am putting forward on the outside.

People of integrity are usually well-respected but at times they are resented for their honesty. I’ve a family member who told me that saying what he thinks sometimes gets him in trouble with those who don’t like hearing the truth. He has learned to temper his words with kindness yet refuses to pretend to agree when he has a different view. Those who like integrity say he is “refreshing” and they like his openness.

Eliphaz did not like Job’s openness with God, but what did God think about it?

All through Scripture I’ve seen that God knows my heart. If someone asks, “How are you?” I might say I am fine when I am not, but I cannot fake anything with Him. To even try it would be an insult to His omniscience. Besides, reading the Psalms shows me that His people should never fake telling Him how they feel. The psalmists never did. Sometimes they seemed to be yelling at God. Are those who keep their thoughts from God being honest with Him — the God who does not look at the outer appearance but at the heart?

Towards the end of the book of Job, God spoke to him about how he talked without knowledge, yet He did not rebuke Job for speaking his complaints and frustrations. The man was not a fake, never pretending to be pious when he was frustrated and confused. Did God find this man “refreshing” or not? The Scriptures say that the Lord sided with the way Job talked, even when whining and complaining, even when he seemed irreverent . . .

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7)

I know that God wants both humility and honesty, not pride and lies or faking it. While it seems irreverent to complain to God, He would rather I be honest about my feelings than pretend they don’t exist. I tend to think that most people are the same; they would rather hear the truth than anything like insincere flattery, a pasted-on smile, or only my good news and never the nasty realities of life.

Job’s example then is highly practical. From him I am encouraged to be honest with God, honest with people, and honest with myself.