There is the old story of the mouse and the elephant, who were crossing a rope bridge. When they got to the end, the mouse looked at the elephant and said, "We sure shook that bridge, didn't we?" Of course, the mouse had no impact at all, and that is the point.
So I read Job 35:6, and I think of the mouse and the elephant. If I sin, me, a mouse, a speck on a rock flying through space for a moment of time, if I sin, is the infinite creator God wounded by my action? Although he is hold and perfect, does my imperfection make him anything less? Can I actually harm God? Me? The mouse?
And in verse 7, if I am righteous, perfect, holy; does that make him any better? Does it make him more God?
Verse 15 is stunning, and Job needs to understand it. "He delivers the afflicted by their affliction." Job, though he thought he was righteous, needed his affliction to ultimately reveal the truth to him that he was not the center of the universe, not even close.
37:13 is another stunning verse that speaks volumes to me about how much God is God and I am not. "Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen." I can't and don't see the big picture that God sees. When I surrender to him, a part of that is taking whatever comes my way, trusting in his wisdom and grace.
God does not regard those who are wise in their own eyes. (37:24) God owes no man an answer for his actions. Our actions, righteous or not, do not alter who he is or diminish him in any way.
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