More than dishes...

College provided a wealth of memories and experiences.  I remember sharing an apartment with 3 friends during my final 2 years at UVA.  For the most part, we shared duties around the apartment and pulled our own weight.  From time to time, the dishes would pile up in the sink and it became painfully apparent that somone had to step up and clean them. 

An argument broke out one evening about the dishes and accusations flew across the room from one person to the other.  In the midst of the discussion, one of my roommates calmly said, "None of these dishes are mine.  I always clean my dishes or put them in the dish washer."

Period.

He silenced us with his bold claim.  He silenced us because we knew it was true.  He was a servant-minded person who lived with integrity and we knew his claim of innocence was accurate.

This morning, I continued my reading in the Old Testament book of Job.  Job in chapter 31 shares a defense of his life.  He is responding to his critics (supposed friends) who are convinced that Job's devastating misfortunes (read chapters 1-2) are a result of his sin and rebellion against God.

Job shares his defense and it is a noble defense.

He can claim everything that he claims because like my friend (obviously moreso because this is MORE THAN DISHES), Job was a man of integrity who loved God and served other people.

For me, I am a defensive man who hides my mistakes.  If I could only begin to claim what Job claim then I could share that God has restored and reshaped me into a godly man who loves God and serves others with no strings attached.

Here is a list of what Job claimed in chapter 31:

• v.1 - not looking lustfully at a girl
• v. 5 - not walking in falsehood
• v. 9 - not enticed by a woman or not lurking at a neighbor's door with that intention
• v. 13 - not denying justice to his servants
• v. 16 - not denying the desires of the poor or the widow
• v. 19 - not avoiding giving clothes to those who without garments
• v. 21 - not ignoring the fatherless (especially with his influence in the court system)
• v. 24 - not putting his trust in gold
• v. 26 - not worshiping the sun or moon
• v. 29 - not rejoicing over his enemies' misfortunes
• v. 32 - not denying a traveler hospitality in his place
• v. 33 - not concealing sin as others do...

WOW!

That list, as a friend has said so well in the recent past, tools with my soul...

How about you?

Can you claim a list like this?

Note: I do not believe that the goal of the Christian life is to boast on outward actions but I do believe that the inward change of the heart by God should lead to the outward working of these patterns (by God's grace).

This list involves more than dishes...