Only God Knows [Job 18]
19"He has no offspring or posterity among his people,
Nor any survivor where he sojourned.
20"Those in the west are appalled at his fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.
21"Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God."
Only God knows the truth about a person because He is the only one who can see past the things that are seen to the things that matter. We have no business trying to decide whether someone else knows God or not. In these verses, Bildad not only called Job wicked, but someone who didn't even know God! I can't imagine the pain Job was already experiencing and here his supposed friend said something like this!
We praise You, God, that you alone are the judge of the hearts of men. Cause us to trust You to guide us in ministering to hurting people without condemnation. We can't, but You can.
Beth Warlick, 1/26/2011