Job!

Job 42:7

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

This is an odd thing for God to say about Job, considering that Job has just spent 40 chapters griping at God while Eliphaz and his buddies have just spent 40 chapters telling Job that God never does anything bad and urging him to speak more respectfully to the Almighty.  But that's because we think God is interested in manners when he's really interested in us.  Job spoke to God from the heart.  His friends never spoke to God at all.  They were too busy proving syllogisms about him and chewing out Job to ever actually speak to God or reveal their hearts to him.  Job's heart was on his sleeve the whole time, even there was a fist sticking out of it and shaking at God.  If it's a choice between being polite but distant with God and being a grouch but right there with him, God appears to prefer the latter.  Today, be real with God.

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Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.

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