I Was Just Thinking … About the Right Kind of Clothing

In the parable of the emperor’s new clothes, the emperor thought he was wearing clothing that fit his position as the supreme ruler. Unfortunately, he was deluded. He was not wearing royal raiment; indeed, he was not attired in anything. Job, on the other hand, did not suffer such delusions. The man whom Yahweh affirmed as being tenacious in his integrity knew what people would see when they looked at him. When he declared, “I put on righteousness, and my justice clothed me like a robe and turban” (29:14), he was able to verify his claim by citing specific examples from his activity in his community (29:15–17).

Job emphasized both righteousness and justice because they are different sides of the moral coin. Justice primarily indicates the negative trait of not depriving people of what God has given them. Righteousness primarily indicates acting in accord with external standards of behavior, especially those revealed and required by God—even God is righteous because he abides by the terms of the covenant (e.g., Daniel 9:7–14).

These two characteristics unite in the Ten Commandments, for example. Accordingly, we are righteous when we act justly by not depriving Yahweh of the worship, allegiance, and honor due him; parents of the honor they are due; people of their lives by murder; our spouse of sexual faithfulness; anyone of their property; or others of the truth (especially in adversarial proceedings).

The prophet Micah, one of Isaiah’s contemporaries, complained that Israel’s leaders abhorred justice and twisted what they knew to be right (3:9). While he did not use the word “righteous,” he implied as much when he told the people, “Yahweh made clear what is good and what he looks for from you [setting the standard]: doing justice, loving kindness, and living humbly with him” (6:8). In this declaration, Micah captured two aspects of Job’s ensemble that people would have noticed, even though Job did not mention them, kindness toward others and humility with God.

Job evidently loved doing more good for people than was required of him, which is what loving kindness involves. He valued going out of his way to be a blessing to people, just as he saw God doing (see Jeremiah 9:24; Yahweh delights to do kindness, justice, and righteousness). For example, he was not required to intercede with God for his children, but he did so regularly. He loved being kind, and he lived humbly with God, first by accepting God’s providence in his life when disaster struck, and second by repenting when God exposed his sinful pride.

If Job had been alive during Jesus ministry, I think he would have seen him powerfully going about proclaiming the gospel and doing good (Acts 10:38). And he would have agreed with Paul when he exhorted the Roman church, “Put on the Lord, Jesus Christ, and do not plan ways to fulfill sinful desires” (13:13–14). Clothing ourselves with Jesus at least means living in a way that when others see our good works, they will glorify God and call us Christians (Matthew 5:16; Acts 11:26).

What we “wear” tells a lot about us, as it did of Job. Let us not wander around like the deluded emperor. Let us clothe ourselves in the righteous robes that will not rot or be eaten by moths. If we do so now, when Christ returns and the Church, his bride, gathers to celebrate with him, we will be clothed in “fine linen” that will be woven from the strands of our righteous and kind deeds (Revelation 19:8).