Job (As in the Bible...Not as in I'm Working...)

Ask and you shall receive.

So I think I get Job. I remember when I was in my early twenties. I read up on Job because I just didn't understand why the Lord would allow all those things to happen to him. I had many questions. Most of those questions were unanswered, even after I studied up and tried to understand. And now I get it. It isn't so much about the allowing those things to happen.

It's about Job never cursing God.

Of course, I knew that was important to the story. I couldn't understand why he didn't curse God. I couldn't understand why he didn't yell and blame and get angry over all of it. But mostly I just didn't get why God kept letting Job suffer. It's a always been a real sticking point for me.

And then tonight I was thinking about how people get offended about little things or big things. Like I might get mad because someone asked me why I wasn't married or why I was being so picky. As if it is a choice I've made not to date. As if I'm just turning down the gentlemen callers left and right.

Maybe some people think I have sinned and done something wrong to cause this single state of mine. Maybe I should get upset when I hear Mormon men and women say what a waste it is that a woman would get so much schooling because they are so obviously ignoring marriage and child-bearing/rearing. They might quote a tidbit from a prior general authority or whatever. And I should stew and steam about it.

I mean, isn't that what Job's friends and family members were telling him to do? Steam and stew and get mad. Curse God. Right? But he didn't.

And that is the point. I don't have to stew and steam and get mad about what others say I should or should not be doing. The fact is, it's my choice to make. And if I choose to thank God for my life and all my blessings, then that is my business and has nothing whatever to do with anyone else. And that is what Job said. He may have wondered and thought life was hard and such. However, he didn't let the discouraging things that others said get him to a point where he would blame the Lord for his state.

It is discouraging to hear people say such things. But I can't help but think that I too have said things that weren't kind or easy to hear. I've given offense. Perhaps I have caused someone to question God. If I did, I can say that I didn't mean to because I know I didn't. And maybe those people in Job's life meant well when they said, "Go ahead and vent. Get mad." Or, "What did you do that was so wrong that would cause this suffering? It must be your own fault for doing something horrid. Repent"

Only that wasn't true, now, was it? No it was not. But God knew, and Job knew. that was all that mattered. What others had to say had nothing whatsoever to do with Job and God.

So I'm going to try to be more careful about what I say to others. And I'm not going to worry about the judgments others might pass on me. I'm going to try to be a little more like Job.