By Brad Cockrell, Senior Pastor, Southmont Baptist Church
Job 1:1 gives a description of Job, the man after whom the book is entitled. It says, “There was a man…whose name was Job; that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.”
Let me ask all the dads and grads, if someone were to give a description of your life, what would be said? Would you be described like Job? Would it be said that you are a man who is blameless, upright, fears God, and turns away from evil?
Being blameless means being genuine and authentic. It’s not being fake or hypocritical. It means your actions are consistent with your faith. You’re not perfect, but who you are on the outside is consistent with who you are on the inside.
To be upright means to be trustworthy. You are honest. You are a man of integrity. You speak the truth. You do what you say you will do, and you deal honestly with others.
To fear God is to have an abiding reverence for God. You rightly recognize God’s authority, and you align yourself underneath His authority. God’s agenda is your agenda. You want your life to reflect the goodness and glory of God.
To turn away from evil means your life is characterized by righteousness. You seek to live in obedience to God rather than in rebellion against God. When you sin, you repent. Your conviction is to turn from sin and to walk in righteousness. Your desire is for your life to be characterized by Christlikeness rather than by evil.
What is your reputation, dads and grads? What best describes you? May the Lord fill our homes and our communities with dads and grads who are blameless and upright, who fear the Lord, and who turn away from evil.
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