In a crowded court, a man stands before the judge. Accusations were thrown at him, and witnesses spoke with great confidence, convincing everyone that he was guilty. However, the man remained silent. He does what is right, but he also knows that the people around him have already formed their opinions. They spoke as if they knew him and understood every detail of his life, but no one really listened to his voice. This illustration depicts Job's situation in chapter 13. In the midst of his suffering and sharp criticism, he emphasized that his faith was not based on other people's opinions, but rather on his personal experience with God.

Job opened his rebuke by saying, "Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it. What you know, I also know, I am not inferior to you." (Job 13:1-2). In other words, he confirmed that he understood the principles of justice and divinity that his friends talked about, but what they said did not apply to the situation he was experiencing. In the midst of his struggle, Job didn't want to hear explanations that were just empty words. He wanted to talk directly to God, "But, I, I want to talk to the Almighty, I want to defend my case before God." (Job 13:3). This is where the courage of Job's faith is seen. He was not only satisfied with the teachings passed down from generation to generation, but tried to experience God's truth directly.

On the other hand, Job's answer is a challenge to his friends, do they really defend God honestly? Or are they just talking because they want to justify themselves? He added, “Will you lie for Allah, will you tell lies for Him?” (Job 13:7). Job understands that God does not need human defense, especially dishonest defense.

Friends of the Bible, through Job's defense we are reminded that true faith does not stand on other people's opinions, but is based on deep spiritual experience with God. The world is full of voices seeking to interpret our suffering. Some say that suffering is a punishment, some consider it a test, and some try to give simple answers to complex things. However, like Job, we must dare to seek God personally and build a relationship with Him. Listening to the advice of others is a good choice, but do not forget to come to God and listen to His opinion as the main one. Let our faith not be just proverbs of ashes (Job 13:12), empty advice that is fragile like ashes, but become a strong faith because it has gone through the storm and remains steadfast.