Job 29:16

What distress had ever sought his help in vain? What tale of sorrow was ever brushed aside? What sight of misery was ever forgotten? Those he helped could not see or hear him without being moved, even if his left hand did not know what his right hand had done. God does not let the memory of unselfish goodness die. The poor can bear as true a witness to loving-kindness as the rich can to a greatness beyond their own.

People did not honour Job only for his high position. It was his consistent kindness toward others... He was zealous for the cause of righteousness and justice (v.14), and was in effect "eyes to the blind and feet to the lame" (v.15). He was in practice "a father to the needy," searching out the truth of a case that might not be easily apparent (v.16). He opposed the wicked. He broke their fangs — their power to gain by oppression — and rescued the victims from their clutches (v.17).

Now Job needed, and God saw that he needed, this. He was gracious and pious, but he did not know himself. He had never seen God in a way that brought him to a real knowledge of himself in His presence... All very right and gracious; but was it all that was in Job's heart? What did the thinking of it produce there? What did it show?

There was great grace in Job, and he did keep up a very admirable character. But why should he talk about it? Why should he dwell on it? Why should he not think of the source of all the blessing? Why should he not be boasting in the Lord — instead of an implied boasting in himself? That was the very thing that God had a controversy with.

Now, just read chapters 29-31, and you will say, if any man could have justified himself by good works, Job was the man. There is not a man in all your town that can say as much as Job said, and say it truly. As to his kindness to the poor, he was the very opposite of the lying charges brought against him. So he lets memory recount every good act of his life, but it all fails to give rest to his troubled spirit. I, I, I, I did this, I did not do that. But it is all of no use.

We are never called to show our good works, or even to be conscious of them. The Lord's lesson about giving to the poor is the perfect example of the rule for all such things: "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." We may be sure He is not teaching a contradictory principle here. He takes it for granted that there will be good works: true faith in Him is sure to bear fruit. But faith is the very opposite of being taken up with self, and certainly the opposite of self-satisfaction.