Job 25

If there is anything in the book of Job that I’m glad God rebuked as being wrong, it is this in chapter 25: "How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes, how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot—a human being, who is only a worm!" (vs 4-6)

Oh, Bildad. How little you think of yourself! At the end of the book, God said that Bildad (along with his other friends) spoke what was wrong. However, I still hear this sordid theology leaking out of Christian churches all the time! Who told us that we are just worms in the eyes of the Lord? Certainly not God!

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." (Isa 43:1)

"Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you..." (Isa 43:4)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son..." (Jn 3:16)

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight..." (Isa 42:1)

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." (Matt 10:29-31)

Hmmm... since when was a worm worth more than a bird? It’s the early bird who gets the worm! But, you get the point, right? In an earlier chapter, we talked about the Eliphaz method and how we needed to boot it out of the church. So, maybe we should call this the Bildad method and get rid of it, too!

If you believe that you are nothing more than a worm in the eyes of the Lord, stop it! How would you feel if your child thought you looked at him as nothing more than a worm? Would you agree with him? Would you pat him on the head and say, "I know you’re worthless, but I’m so merciful that I love you anyway"? Of course not! Absurd! So why would you imagine that your perfect heavenly Father would feel that way about you?

And if, for heaven’s sake, you’re telling other people that they’re nothing more than a worm in the eyes of the Lord, stop it! If you—who are sinful—wouldn’t dream of telling your own child that she is a worm, why would you think your perfect heavenly Father would say that about you?

God created worms—that’s for sure. But all the worms He created have no arms and no legs. If you’ve been guilty of using the Bildad method, it’s really time for a new look at God. As Jesus said (with what I’m sure was a big smile on His face, a big twinkle in His eye, and perhaps a wink), "Don’t worry. You’re worth more than several small birds."

In God’s eyes, you are no worm!