In our all too self-centered society, the attraction of “personal drama” and “woe is me” thinking is pervasive. Every public figure and celeb has some mega-emotional story of the most recent tragedy in their lives that is all important and consuming.
We move from the young starlet arrested for bad behavior again, to the politician in their second round of rehab, to the long-term stars who are in the midst of one more ugly divorce to the celeb housewife who has been publicly cuckolded.
We have become the society of “high drama” where empathy, sympathy, and a bad attitude are the coin of the realm. People gladly claim camaraderie with Job. I even had a friend who would weep openly at his personal troubles and tell me that only thing that gave him comfort was when he read the book of Job.
This attitude always confuses me. These people must not be reading the same book of Job that I am reading. It is true that Job had every possible disaster thrown at him in a short period of time. His wife even chastised him and kept insisting that he remember what he had done to make God so mad. His friends offered him no encouragement, only accusation and demands that he come clean before God to finally settle his affairs. If you didn’t read past that section you missed the most amazing thing about the triumphant story of Job. I’m not talking about the part where he gets back all his “stuff.” That’s almost incidental to the rest of the story.
A complete reading of Job will give you insight to the most privileged man in the Bible. If you recall the beginning of the story you might remember that the reason Job is attacked in the first place is because he is so esteemed by God. Without hesitation, God knows that Job will never disrespect him no matter the circumstances.
The enemy is actually jealous of Job and is sure that he can make him curse God. I don’t know about you, but I long for the day that I could actually know that I had garnered God’s ultimate trust.
The next extraordinary part of his story is the fact that Job and God actually dialogue person to person. Earlier readings from the Bible warn us that no one could ever look upon God because they would die.
To the contrary, Job sits down and talks with Him in an extended conversation; “I have heard of you by word of mouth but now my eye has seen you (Job 45:3).” He is the only recorded person in the Bible to converse with God besides Moses and Jesus. When you dial up God do you get an immediate response? Job did!
That conversation is one of my favorite parts of the Bible and every time I read the section it takes my breath away. Job tells God that he doesn’t mind the adversity that has come upon him but he is really depressed because he doesn’t know “Why?” Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
God is actually quite patient with Job and makes a deal with him. God tells Job that if he can answer God’s questions he will explain the “Why” to him. The questions make your mind reel. They are things that the human intellect could never comprehend. God proceeds and offers a series of breath taking inquiries:
“Were you there when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have an understanding. Who determined its size; do you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it? ….And who shut within doors the sea when it burst forth from the womb. When I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands? When I set limits for it and fastened the bar of its door. …Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place. … Have you entered into the sources of the sea or walked about in the depths of the abyss? … Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness. Out of whose womb comes the ice and who gives the hoarfrost its birth in the skies, … Who puts wisdom in the heart…. (Job 38: 4-36)?”
Job is literally struck speechless during this session. Who wouldn’t be? God continues:
“Will we have arguing with the Almighty by the critic? Let him who would correct God give answer (40:2).”
Job then admits there is no human answer for the questions that are being asked, no matter how smart you are! Job relents and tells God he is sorry for asking why and that God’s will, no matter what, is good enough for him. He simply does not understand the ways of God and never can.
Job really is my envy in more ways than one. I want that relationship where my mind and heart never depart from the reality that God is God and he is present no matter what. I want that ability to dialog with God and have Him literally dialog back with me. I want Job’s faith even when all around me is falling apart. I want God to point to me and say, “Have you noticed my servant Kathryn?”
The book of Job is not a study in punishment; it’s a study of how to behave when you are the apple of your Father’s eye.
Copyright 2014, Kathryn M. Cunningham
Kathryn M. Cunningham
Kathryn holds a Master’s in Education from Saint Xavier University. Most recently she completed Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from The Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. This recent degree was part of a “retirement project” after teaching for 35 years. She has also worked as a spiritual director, music minister,council member and prayer team warrior. Kathryn has a deep interest in catechesis for the people in the pews. As a “sort of” convert she finds the wisdom of the Church a source for encouragement, joy and survival in a world not sure of anything. Her writing has appeared in diocesan publications and on-line sites, most recently for Zenit. To learn more about Kathryn check out her thinking at: www.atravelersview.org">ATravelersView.org.
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