“But Job replied, ‘You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?’ So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.” – Job 2:10
As I reread the story of Job this week, there was one major takeaway that jumped off the page while reading Job 2:9-10. As I read those particular verses, I had this thought: be careful who you listen to.
Your inputs will determine your outputs. Many times, we think certain thoughts simply because we’re listening to people who’ve planted those thoughts in our minds. Our perception and our perspective of reality are oftentimes shaped by the words of other people. So, with that in mind, let me ask you something.
Who are you listening to these days? If you want, I can go ahead and answer that question for you. Are you ready?
You are listening to those who have access to you. You listen to those who are close to you, right? You’ve given certain people access. You’ve given certain people permission to speak into your life. You listen to them, you believe them, and you trust them.
That is why it is so important that you’re careful who you listen to! Job listened to his wife. Why? Because she was his wife. She had access to Job. But notice the devil used someone that had access to Job to plant seeds of doubt in his heart. That is the way the devil works.
If the devil can’t persuade you, he’ll do his best to persuade those close to you. If you keep reading, you will find three of Job’s friends appear on the scene. The devil used these three guys to poison Job’s mind with thoughts intended to move Job away from God and not toward Him.
Who are you listening to? It is important who you give access to your life. The input you receive determines the output you live by. Choose accordingly.