Prof. Matthew UMUKORO

 

There is no doubt that Job is, at once, the most suffered and the most blessed individual in the Holy Bible. Those who associate with him by answering his name are obviously more interested in his blessing than his unspeakable ordeal.

In praying to enjoy the blessing of Job, how prepared are we to endure his hardship? What was significant about Job was that God deliberately allowed Satan to put him through all sorts of tribulation to test his faith. “And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eschewest evil?” (Job1:8). Satan argues with God that the reason Job is faithful is because he has been richly blessed by God, and that Job would turn against God if his circumstances were to change for the worse.  So, God entered into a pact with Satan to take away all that Job had, except his life, as a test of his faith.

        That was the beginning of the ordeal of Job. One after the other, he lost his wealth, family, and good health, but his faith remained steadfast, and he refused to curse God. At the height of his many crises, after losing all his children, Job tore his robe and declared: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”(Job,1:21). What a great demonstration of faith!

We came to the world with nothing and shall return with nothing. This is consistent with Paul’s advice in his First Epistle to the Thessalonians: “In every situation, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians, 5:18). It is the same undiluted faith demonstrated by Abraham which made him willing to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.

        God won the wager, and Satan was put to shame. Then God restored all that Job had lost double fold.  Thus, what made Job’s attitude heroic was the lack of prior knowledge that he was going to get back all he had lost with interest, otherwise, it would have been seen as a gainful business transaction. Many people with transactional attitude might be willing to face the ordeal of Job, if the assurance is there that their loss would be reinstated double fold. Therefore, it is dangerous to pray for the ordeal of Job, because God simply used him as an example of outstanding faith and unwavering commitment in the face of all odds. This was why God restored to him all he had lost with interest. Any individual hoping to experience the indescribable loss of Job must be equally ready to forfeit everything and still remain faithful and thankful to God. If Job’s ordeal were to be turned into a play, it would fail as a tragedy because of the later restitution of all he had lost twofold. In true tragedy, it is a sad case of loss without compensation. At best, the play might come out as a Christian comedy.

        The real emphasis in the story of Job is his heavy loss without turning against God. The compensation aspect should be toned down because God is not under any obligation to compensate any individual for the loss he has suffered. For instance, the suffering may very well be a deserved one, as a penalty for certain sins earlier committed, and divine forgiveness must be equally well deserved through a clear course of penance and restitution after visiting the confessional. Hence, it is dangerous to interpret the story of Job as one of automatic compensation for any loss suffered. It does not always follow. God reinstated Job’s loss because, without Job’s knowledge, he was being made as an example of unconditional love of, and faith in, God. It is a rare circumstance. In real life, we are often faced with the consequences of our actions, without compensation.

        The best interpretation of Job’s ordeal is to take the suffering as Job took it without turning against God, and without anticipating any reversal. Of course, we are entitled to pray fervently for a reversal of our ordeal, but not as a condition for continuing to love and serve God. Paul says, in all circumstances, we must find the reason to thank the Lord. For instance, someone who loses everything but remains alive and healthy should thank God for the gift of life, and hope that the future would be better than the past. In every situation, no matter how bad, there must be a reason to be grateful, if one searches hard enough. 

Furthermore, it is not God, but Satan, that inflicts adversity on people; and it is up to individuals to reject Satan with all his wickedness, and turn to God for succour and protection. The best form of prayer is that which is founded on the eternal love of God, and our wishes left entirely at his divine will. Sometimes, that disappointment we are unhappy about might in fact be a blessing in disguise. What matters most is to trust God completely, believing that he will always deal justly with us in accordance with our common prayer: “Jesus I love you; all I have is yours; yours I am and yours I want to be; deal with me whatever you will.” The last part of that prayer is a declaration of absolute faith in God’s decision over our lives, and our readiness to accept his wishes for us.

        In conclusion, it must be stressed that the greatness of Job lies in his total submission to all his ordeals without cursing God, and without expecting the positive turn he received at the end. Curse and blessing do not always go together, and the positive does not automatically follow the negative. The last part of The Lord’s Prayer says “And Lead Us Not Into Temptation”. It is the devil, not our Father that leads people into temptation. Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) provides a better English translation of the original Greek prayer as: “Do not allow us to enter into temptation” or “Do not let us yield to temptation” (pp.648-649, par. 2846). We are asking God not to allow us to take the way that leads to temptation, and to deliver us from all evils. While asking for Job’s blessing without his ordeal, we should also pray that God should give us the grace and power to withstand temptation, and never to be tempted beyond our individual capacities.