Blow Up, Dry Up, Grow Up

     So, I've been reading Job. I'm about a month into the Bible-in-a-year chronologically plan. I couldn't honestly tell you where I got this plan from, but I turned it into a word document  on which I can mark finished readings, along with the date each is assigned to. Anyway,
     Job. I get it, I do. Satan is feeling all evil and powerful, and wants to show God that power. He finds the most righteous man on Earth, and wants to show God how easily even the most faithful will fall and curse His name. God wants to show him up. Growing up, I heard over and over how faithful Job had been--how he praised, honored, and worshiped God. Apparently, I'd never actually read Job until now, because I always pictured pages of Job, on his knees, spouting off praise and exaltations for the one stable, constant force in his life. As I sit here, I fail to recall ever hearing in conversation, Job being cited by verse, and I now understand why.
     He laments. Truthfully, he doesn't curse God, and he doesn't appear to lose faith. It's just conversation between friends, Job takes a stab at how much pain he's in, his friends try to console him, they talk about life for the wicked, and just ... lament together. The entire time I've read from this book, I just kept asking, "God, what does this mean for me?" It's not like Job is this beacon of light to strive for, in the praise and worship department. He's just a guy, in this crummy circumstance, who DID get angry, sad, and probably other emotion, and who DID NOT sit praising You unquestionably. I don't understand how his slightly philosophical conversations with his friends constitutes a Biblical book, and a reputation of greatness.
     This morning, I read chapter 32. It's not a long one--22 verses. It's written from Elihu, who is basically this kid, sitting amongst all of these older gentlemen, who are supposedly wise beyond belief. Only, Elihu doesn't believe that, not after sitting quietly in conversation with them while they lament about pain, the works of God, and how the wicked operate. This kid (who might actually be my age, maybe even younger...) is angry. He basically told these men, "I thought you were supposed to be wise, since you're old--why don't you have the answers?!"
     Oh, teen angst strikes again, old testament style. Yowza. He has a point though. I mean, none of us are wise, not really. I really appreciate the dynamic here. I also really appreciate the fact that none of us has the answers, but that we can learn from each person that comes into our lives. Being old does not make us wise, anymore than being young makes us foolish. Anyway, Elihu is basically sitting with all he wants to say, bottled up, and finally bursts (i.e. "Like new wineskins it is about to burst. Let me speak that I may get relief"). This just speaks to the passion that he has as a young man, who may or may not be afraid to grow like these old men, who seem now stale in their worship, without such passion. How do we balance passion with wisdom? Are the wise already impassioned?