Introducing You
I remember the first time someone called me "uncle". It was Clayton Koh. I still remember where we were. He was walking out of this very fellowship hall with two hands full of stuff. I held the door open for him and he said: "Thank you uncle Sam." He probably didn't think of it. But I was shocked and didn't know how to react. My mind raced thinking that I'm not that old. How can it be that people are calling me uncle. I'm not even 30 yet. It was traumatic.
From then on more and more people started calling me "uncle."
What do people call you?
How do people introduce you? Have you analyze that?
Here are some of the ways I'm introduced:
- Dr. Young or Pastor Young's eldest son.
- 4everYoung brother's father
- Head elder at Loma Linda Chinese Church
- Helen's husband.
- He is Peter's brother.
But is that who I really am? We often introduce others through associations. We associate people with other people like this is my cousin. Or she is my wife. Or this is my friend's friend. Our relationships are very important because it establish points of reference.
When you are introduced to someone based on your relationship, it doesn't really tell them who you really are. Yes, we know generally who you are by your associations. We can even guess your background, your culture, and even the way you probably think. But that is not really essence of you?
Career
There is another way we are often known. We are known by our careers. We often say:
- He is a doctor.
- She is a teacher.
- He is a pastor.
- She is an engineer.
We present our resume's when we apply for a job. These pieces of paper summarizes who we are. But we are not only our careers. We are much more than our careers. So companies are starting to ask their perspective employees take ethics and personality tests to find out who they are really hiring.
The results of these tests tell the employer whether this person is hard working, whether they are ethical, what will they do in certain situations, etc. Other tests tell the employer find out the prospects' personalities:
• Are they systematic or innovative?
• Who would they handle difficult situations?
• What is their leadership style?
• How well do they follow orders?
• How do they handle conflicts?
• What are their motivating factors?
• And many other personality traits.
But that still may not be who we are. We are certainly getting closer to who you are but what is your core?
Introducing Job
So let me ask you - who are you? When you peel off all the layers of identity, what do you finally get?
Today, we will explore a person that was forced to address this issue.
This person was the richest person in the land. He owned 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 teams of oxe, and 500 female donkeys. His land stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. As far as you can see was all his land.
He had it all. He was rich and respected. He sat with the elders of the community. They asked for his advice whenever there was an issue they could not resolve.
His employees loved him. He treated them well. As a result, he had very loyal employees.
On the home front, he had a beautiful family. He had a beautiful wife. His children were successful in their own right. They learned from their father and was creating their own empires.
He was a religious man. He love God and was obedient to everything God asked him to do. He was a priest of his family and everyone knew God blessed him because he honored God.
Life was wonderful.
Heavenly Conference
But there was disturbance in the heavenly realm.
You see, there was a conference in heaven. God had invited all the leaders of all the worlds to come. Satan went to represent earth. When Satan presented himself, God asked why he was there. Satan answered: "I am representing earth."
God said: "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is blameless and honorable."
Satan replied: "Off course he is faithful. You give him everything. If you take away everything, he will curse you."
God agreed to take Satan's challenge: "You can do anything to him except hurt him physically."
God introduced Job as a God fearing, blameless and honorable man. What an introduction. Can you imagine God introducing you that way?
But then Satan countered. He introduced Job as a weak man that only follows those that provide for him. His loyalty only is in himself.
The argument is in a simple introduction. But this introduction challenges the honor and reputation of God.
Reputation
We, Chinese, die for our good reputation. In the story books and in the movies, a person's name and reputation is more important than their life. This small disagreement is tests not only the reputation of Job, but God's as well. You see, God staked His reputation on Job and His introduction of Job.
Satan left heaven and proceeded to destroy Job's life. I will tell you the story but this afternoon please take out your Bible and read it yourself. This story is recorded in Job 1.
*** Just tell the story ***
1. Children partying at eldest house.
2. Oxen and donkeys taken by Sabeans
3. Fire from heaven burned sheep
4. Camels stolen by Caldeans
5. Wind destroyed house and kills all his children.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news. He face was darken with ashes. He fell in front of Job and said: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
17 While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news. This man was bloody and badly hurt. He fell in front of Job and said: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
18 While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news. His clothes were torn because grief. You can tell he had been crying. He fell in front of Job and said: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. 19 Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
Job the Poor Man
In one day he lost everything he owned. What would you do if in one day lost all your identity?
- He was no longer the richest.
- He was no longer a father of the best young men and women of the land. In fact, he didn't have a family anymore.
- He was no longer blessed by God.
- He was not the best employer. All his employees had died.
Who is he?
- He is now poor.
- He is now cursed by God.
- He is bankrupted and destitute.
He was blessed by God but now he is cursed by God.
What would you do? How would you react?
The Bible said :
20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said,
“I came naked from my mother’s womb,
and I will be naked when I leave.
The LORD gave me what I had,
and the LORD has taken it away.
Praise the name of the LORD!”
22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
God's introduction was indeed correct. Satan's was wrong
Second Heavenly Conference
The next time God had another conference, God asked Satan about Job. Satan and God's conversation is recorded in Job 2:4-7: 4 Satan replied to the LORD, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. 5 But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”
6 “All right, do with him as you please,” the LORD said to Satan. “But spare his life.” 7 So Satan left the LORD’s presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.
Job's Physical Pains
Satan inflects Jobs with very painful boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. He could not sleep or walk or stand without pain. He could not wear cloths because the cloth scratching the wounds hurt so much, so he laid in a heap of soft ashes naked all day.
Now Job was a man cursed by God. He was naked, smelly with open wounds throughout his body. When people think of being cursed by God, they think of Job.
His wife told him to just curse God so God will put him out of his misery. But he refused.
Friends Visit
He had three very good friends that decide to come visit him. When the three friends saw him, they were so shocked that the four of them sat there for three days without a word.
God allowed Satan to strip out all the layers of Job's identity to see what he was really made of. When all his titles, his possessions, his name, his family identity, and even his health is gone, what do you find? What is the core of Job's identify?
Situations of Trials
Have you been in a situation where the core of your being is challenged? When it is all said and done, the only thing left is Job's belief and his ethics. There is nothing else left.
In situations of trial, a person's core is truly tested. Satan was basically challenging Job and asking: "Who are you, Job? What is your heart made of?"
Job Speaks
When Job finally speaks to God, he tells his friends that it is better that he had not lived. Why live in this type of suffering. As I read his speech, it reminded me of the movie - "It's a Wonderful Life."
George Bailey had always wanted to travel the world. But every time he was ready to leave his little town, something would happen and he had to stay. Responsibilities and duties created circumstances that prevented him from his dream. He became very bitter about his life.
George did not realize all the good he has done for his community until the ghosts showed him what would be if he were not there.
Job continues to say: "I wish God would just crush me and take me out of my misery."
Then he directs his speech to God: "Why have you made me and given me life, when your whole intent is to make me suffer? Have I sinned against you that I should suffer? Examine my records because I have not sinned. Show me my sin and I will be satisfied. God, I am innocent. Do not punish me for something I have not done."
Core of Job
At the core of Job is his belief in a just God. At the core of Job is believing that he was made for a purpose. He doesn't know what that purpose is, but he believes God has a purpose for him.
What about you? What is in your core?
When we strip away your possessions - your nice house, your car, your clothes. When all your family is gone. What do you have?
What does it look like when your physical health and all you possession are removed?
George
You know, I have gone to visit a friend that has Lou Gehrig's Disease. He is a doctor and was very active at church. But now he lives in a nursing facility. He cannot talk, cannot move any of his limps. He communicates through a computer with his eyes. That is really sad. That is a Job experience.
The question is: "If you were George, how will you handle it?" Will you blame God? Will you be bitter? What would you do?
Your Core
When everything is removed and you are down to your core, what will God find?
In the case of Job, God found a man that was looking for answers. God found a man that continue to believe he is a child of God. God found a man that refuse to be bitter against God but rather someone that is looking for answers.
Jane
I have a friend and partner. I will change the name and places to protect the innocent. Let's just called her Jane. She is the one that inspired me to deal with this topic.
Jane is a very successful retirement planner. She was very well respected in New York. She had a huge book of business. Her clients were many of the movie stars and Hollywood producers. She is in the hall of fame for financial professional. She accumulated a lot of wealth.
Something happened and she lost the majority of her client base. So she decided to leave that Big Blue and go to Florida. She bought a house and started her new life. The house was very nice and built by one of the most respected builders in that region.
Little did she know that her new house had black mold. In fact, all the homes in that development had black mold. By the time she found out, she was very sick. The doctors told her she had six months to live and there was nothing they could do for her.
As she explored different alternative solutions to her sickness, she found a place in Mexico that could and did heal her.
In the process, she decided to sue the builder. She won the law suit but her lawyer, that was paid off by the builders, did not place any damages in the suite so she received zero compensation. She lost her new house and most of her money went to pay the lawyer fees.
She lost both her health and her wealth. She became very depressed and questioned why this was happening to her.
One day while she was meditating she decided to take an inventory of her life. From that inventory she decided she that she was a child of God and she was valuable. She had something to live for and she was going to make a life for herself.
She is once again rebuilding her client base plus she writes for some of the most prestigious publications. She regained the industry's respect as a retirement expert. Her friends affectionally call her Jobbet.
This all happened after she figured out who she was. She was a child of God.
Persecuted Christians
This core is very important because we are at the end of times. When persecution and calamites comes, your core will be challenged.
Those Christian in Iraq had to make a choice. Children and adults were asked if they believed in Jesus. If they said "Yes", they would see their love ones die in front of their eyes. Then they will be killed. What would you say if you were placed in that situation?
If you were faced with bankruptcy and you know that your family will have no place to live, what would you do? What if you found a wallet with $50,000 in it, would you find the owner or would you go pay your bills? What is your core like?
If you had friends that wanted to do something that you know is not right, would you go with them. Or would be quietly leave them but allow them to go? Or maybe you would speak out against it. That is a core decision.
Meanwhile, the universe is watching.
Examine the Bible
We face these types of decisions all the time but we don't think much of it. Maybe it is time to self examine. What does the Bible say about self examination?
In Matthew 7:21 - Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Have you done the will of God? Have you asked God: "God, what is Your will for me?"
In 2 Corithians 13:5 - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Do you have enough faith? But having faith and doing the will of God is not enough. Jesus says in Matthew 7:20 - " Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
What are some of these fruits to speak of?
John explains this concept a little differently. In 1 John 1:6 - If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Let's review this. Your heart and your faith is very important. But in addition to your heart being right, your actions must follow. It is not only your actions but also your intent. Follow me, John continues in 1 John 2:15 - Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
So heart, actions, and intent show who you are. But the most important of realizations is recorded in 1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
Royal Priesthood
Job understood this point. We often forget that we are a chosen generation. We are of royal blood and from a holy nation.
We are to be introduced as such to the rest of the world. And when we reach heaven, we will be introduced to the universe as children of God.
When we encounter trials and tribulations, we must act as a prince and princess.
Please remember, we are prince and princess of God. That is how we are to be introduced. If that is the case;
• We must act like royalty.
• Walk like royalty.
• Carry yourselves like royalty.
• We must act with honor and honesty.
• We must act righteously and treat everyone with grace.
One word of warning before we close. It is dangerous to be introduced by God. When we are introduced by God, we will face trials. Your core will be challenged.
But our rewards are great
1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him.
May you become the prince and princess God wants you to be.
