The 90% Right Problem - Book of Job
Don’t you just love the book of Job? It’s got more human theology in it than any other book of the Bible, as told by Job’s good mates. Job’s friends weren’t complete Muppets. That’s the bit we don’t always admit. We treat them like theological clowns, shaking our heads at their cold-hearted advice. But the truth? They were probably 90% right.
The idea that our actions have consequences? True.
The belief that God is just? Absolutely.
The observation that sin destroys lives? Spot on.
It’s the other 10% that wrecked them - and nearly wrecked Job. That 10% was the mystery of God’s sovereignty.
The Four Big Themes of Their Human “Wisdom”
Suffering comes from personal sin - Eliphaz argued that Job must have done wrong, because in his experience, suffering is always the result of evil (Job 4:7-9).
Tradition holds the answers - Bildad leaned on the wisdom of past generations, insisting the old sayings explained Job’s situation (Job 8:8-10).
God’s justice is harsh but fair - Zophar claimed Job was probably getting less than he deserved (Job 11:6).
Retribution is a fixed law -all three assumed the universe works on a simple cause-and-effect: good people prosper, bad people suffer - no exceptions.
The Danger of the Almost-True
Almost-true advice is the most dangerous kind because it feels safe to believe. It’s neat, logical, and fits our personal experiences. It works until it doesn’t. And when it doesn’t - we find ourselves standing in the ashes, looking someone in the eye, and confidently misrepresenting God.
That’s what the friends did. They assumed the missing 10% was filled in by their experience, tradition, or logic. They had no space for a God who might allow suffering without cause, or whose purposes were too deep for them to grasp.
The World Still Works This Way
Today, the world’s wisdom is still 90% right.
Good financial stewardship is wise - but it won’t save you from every economic storm.
Eating well and exercising are smart -but they can’t make you immortal.
Working hard often brings success - but not always, and not for everyone.
When we take those truths and elevate them to absolute laws, we leave no room for the God who sometimes disrupts our equations to do something greater.
The Lesson for Us
The difference between Job’s friends and Job was this:
Job kept taking his questions to God.
His friends kept talking about God as though they were His PR team.
When we meet the 10% gap - that place where life doesn’t add up - we have a choice:
Fill it with our own explanations.
Or leave it open for the mystery of God’s sovereign work.
In the Kingdom, it’s often the 10% gap where the miracles happen.
