"Then the Lord asked Satan, Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth- a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil. And he has maintained himself his integrity, even though you persuaded me to harm him without cause. "Job 2:3
Hmmmm, have you ever thought of that, that God has a way of describing people? You should. He said concerning Noah- he was a perfect man in his generation - Gen 6:9
He said Abraham was his friend Gen 18:17
He called Moses the meekest man on earth - He called David - A man after his heart -
He called Jesus His begotten Son, in whom He is well pleased. Now he calls Job a man of integrity!
Recently, Christ Apostolic Church North America Bible Institute at their 2023 convention in the USA had a graduation ceremony for the class of 2023 Deacons, Deaconesses and Evangelists. The class captain of the Evangelists in her presentation to the faculty staff described the Registrar, Pastor Joseph Olawale as "very gentle "My humble self served as the Dean on the Faculty board, she had other great words to describe me, excluding “gentle” hence I protested loudly-"does that me I am not gentle?" It caught my attention!
How will God describe you? What are the parameters God uses to make final decision as to enable him describe humans to the world?
But before we get to the details of what God uses to describe us, it is important we mention what God will not use to describe us- Appearance.
We were told Samuel was directed by God to chose a king from Jesse's children. Samuel wanted to make Eliab, Abinadab or Shammah king, but God corrected him. I don't choose people by appearance! 1 Sam 16:7
That is why it is appalling how much attention we pay to our body these days.Two major thriving businesses in our days are cosmetics and fitness. Men are crazy about body building, women are crazy about facial appearance, cosmetics. God directed Samuel to choose David that has no bodily appeal.
How will God decide how to describe you? Two ways came to my mind.
1. Your attitude to people
2. Your heart, your motive.
Firstly- Attitude- the way you behave, your character, mannerism, idiosyncrasies the way you relate - what in our time is called emotional intelligence. Some years ago, I took a course in Leadership Development at Tyndale University in Toronto. One of our assignments was to watch a video of Daniel Coleman, a man considered to be an expert on the subject of emotional intelligence. Talking to the employees of Google, he alluded to the fact that high IQ got them the job which has become a common denominator for them but what will determine their progress going forward will be their El. Your attitude does not just determine how far you go in life and what you get from life, but how God describes you that is where you will spend eternity. Because men are God's method, you cannot claim you love God and hate people!
Secondly: Motive- Though usually hidden to man but well known to God ,our motive determines how God will describe and recommend us. Of course there are
genuine and ulterior motives. While ulterior motives is evil, pretentious, hypocritical and psychopathic, genuine motive is the basis for integrity, holiness, and righteous living. That is why God was emphasizing Job's integrity. Satan wanted to prove that Job was serving God based on God's favourable disposition to him. Prospered, protected and gave him good health. God said no, Job loves me genuinely beyond those things- that is what he called -integrity- wholeness!
Since that class captain described the other pastor as gentle and did not include it in mine, I went to study what is gentility. I have began to work on that area of my life!
God says repeatedly, Job was a man of integrity who shuns evil deeds. The world is hurting because of lack of integrity and more importantly our evil deeds, and wickedness to one another. Have people used negative words (loquacious, talkative, corrupt, greedy, hateful etc) to describe you and you think it does not matter? Don't ignore it.
I was invited to preach in a church, I stayed in the room of one of the Pastor's children. That child wrote in her open diary, "my parents have no idea of who I am. They think I am that nice child singing in the choir.” Your parents, pastor, guardian, boss, colleagues, classmates, alumni, associates, partners, church members, may not know your identity, but you know and God knows!
Conclusion: What the Holy Spirit wants us to learn today is that it is not too late for you to decide and live the way you want God to describe you. What will matter at the end of the day is not how men but how God will describe you: "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. "Matt 7:23 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" Rev 20:15.
May you and I have positive review and description from our Heavenly Father.
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