Job was neither malicious nor cruel. He knew that such traits would betray a lack of integrity, for he said: “If I used to rejoice at the extinction of one intensely hating me, or I felt excited because evil had found him . . . , I did not allow my palate to sin by asking for an oath against his soul.”—Job 31:29, 30.
Upright Job never rejoiced if calamity befell someone hating him. A later proverb warns: “When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; and when he is caused to stumble, may your heart not be joyful, that Jehovah may not see and it be bad in his eyes and he certainly turn back his anger from against him.” (Prov. 24:17, 18) Since Jehovah can read the heart, he knows if we are secretly rejoicing over another person’s calamity and surely does not approve of such an attitude. (Prov. 17:5) God may deal with us accordingly, for he says: “Vengeance is mine, and retribution.”—Deut. 32:35.
Job was hospitable. (Job 31:31, 32) Although we may not be rich, we can “follow the course of hospitality.” (Rom. 12:13) We can share something simple with others, remembering that “better is a dish of vegetables where there is love than a manger-fed bull and hatred along with it.” (Prov. 15:17) Eating with a fellow integrity keeper in a loving atmosphere will make even a simple meal enjoyable and will surely benefit us spiritually.
It must have been spiritually upbuilding to enjoy Job’s hospitality, for he was not a hypocrite. He was not like the ungodly men who slipped into the first-century congregation and were “admiring personalities for the sake of their own benefit.” (Jude 3, 4, 16) Nor did Job cover over his transgression or ‘hide his error in his shirt pocket,’ fearing contempt if others learned of it. He was willing to be examined by God, to whom he would make any needed confession. (Job 31:33-37) If we were to sin gravely, let us not try to hide such wrongdoing to save face. How can we show that we are trying to maintain integrity? By acknowledging our error, repenting, seeking spiritual help, and doing all we can to make amends.—Prov. 28:13; Jas. 5:13-15.
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