The book of Job begins with a brief description of the man who will be the central character of the narrative. “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). From this short blurb on Job’s life, we learn a great deal about how he will respond when facing disaster. These italicized words are a window into Job’s worldview for through them we come to understand his basic mode of operation even when tested by suffering. Likewise, a tagline description of our own worldview should provide a quick sketch of how we might respond in the middle of the storm.
In short, at times of trouble we act in accordance to our foundational worldviews. The main reason for this is because our beliefs are always intertwined with our actions. How we live out our lives has everything to do with what we believe.
The book of Job is a great case study to test out this understanding. At a time when Job was experiencing great prosperity on all fronts, disaster hit. Everything was perfectly in order in his life: His businesses were running smooth, his children were all healthy and his marriage seemed to have been in good shape. The true test of his character and belief in God would take place when his perfect world would fall apart before his eyes. One calamity after another would quickly ravage Job’s family and almost bring him to complete ruin. However, “in all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (1:22).
The story of Job is a tale of a man who firmly stood on his beliefs and allowed his worldview to carry him through even the most difficult of trials. Even when his wife and friends challenged his worldview, Job maintained his belief stating: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (1:21). In light of this, it becomes very significant for us as Christians to reflect on whether or not our worldview will weather the storms of life. Are our beliefs strong enough to stand against the difficulties and temptations we all face in this world?
The devastation caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the past couple of weeks remind us our true nature and beliefs are revealed when facing life and death situations. How would your worldview sustain you if facing the eye of the hurricane? Is your understanding of the Christian worldview strong enough to weather the philosophical attack of atheism?
Over this academic year, it is our hope to strengthen your understanding of the Christian worldview. Every Thursday we will tackle difficult questions and seek to clarify doctrinal standpoints as we aim to explain key themes and issues of the Christian worldview.
Theology Thursday is back! Check out Living Faith each week for a new blog from another faculty member in GCU’s College of Theology. To learn more about us, visit our website or request more information by using the green button.
