What would you have done differently?

Two women from whom I draw many lessons from

Job’s Wife and Lots Wife,

Photo Courtesy: https://www.findshepherd.com/extolling-gods-name.html

I can imagine what you are thinking right now, yeah! yeah! the woman who turned into salt oh and the other one who advised her husband to abuse God. You are probably telling yourself, “these women were a disgrace to humanity and to womanhood.

Job’s wife, was the woman who told her husband why don’t you just curse your God and die.

Let us try and put ourselves in her life just for a minute.

This woman was one of the women in the society that had a very wealthy life. Her husband was one of the richest men in the land of Uz. Let us say they one of the richest couple’s in the land of Uz. A little is said about her until the point where she tells Job to curse God. But you can imagine, they had probably known no struggle, no pain no illness, they had enjoyed the favour of the Lord for years. They had served God diligently. Then Boom! Like a horrible pandemic, misfortune strikes her path.

On that fateful day  Job and his wife were probably seated chilling out, they had probably finished having their morning devotion and taking breakfast, I can see them talking about God’s goodness in their life, discussing their plans for their children, and just talking about stuff that husbands and wives talk about then suddenly, a messenger comes running

“We were ploughing the fields with the oxen and the donkeys were eating grass nearby when some Sabeans attacked us and took your animals. They killed the other servants. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news” chapt 1 Vs 4

I can see Job and his wife holding their heads, troubled, wondering what to say, Job’s wife probably went to console the servant seeing that he was the only one who survived but in their hearts they probably said, even so it is well the Lord is in control. At that moment they possibly inquired on the status of the sheep and the other servants and just at that time, another servant came:

 “A bolt of lightning struck your sheep and servants and burned them up. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news.” Chapt. 1 Vs 16

 At this point Job and his wife were probably beginning to lose energy, but hey they had to stay strong for the servants who were most likely very traumatised. But even before the messenger finished speaking another one came with more bad news:

“The Chaldeans sent out three raiding parties that attacked us and took the camels, they killed the other servants. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news!” Chapt. 1 vs 17

Wait! At this point Job and His wife are thinking what is going on, what is happening to us. Is this some sort of attack on us?  You can imagine what the scene was like, three servants, restless, traumatised crying, and wealth lost, all lost, nothing is left. I can imagine Job’s wife is breaking down, looking for some consolation from her husband’s face, trying to pull herself  together to comfort the servants, but the confusion and the pain takes all the energy from her

Before she gets to process all these; the final blow hits her, and it hits her hard!

“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house. A strong wind suddenly came in from across the desert and blew the house down. It fell on your sons and daughters, and, and they are all dead. I am the only one who escaped to come and tell you the news” Chapt 1 vs 18

Photo Courtesy: http://clipart-library.com/sad-crying-face.html

“Hold it right there! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! No no no no no not my babies,” I bet she fell on the ground and rolled over and cried, she wailed she screamt, she became inconsolable. She probably started calling out their names,

“Please tell me that this is a joke, please tell me that even one, just one survived, my babies please someone tell me this is not happening,”

I try to think of all the words she said, but wait maybe she dint speak maybe she fainted and woke up later and maybe she sank into depression

This woman Job’s wife lost her 10 children. That dint sink in, Let us say it together, she lost ten children, one two three four five… ten. TEN!

The pain of a mother losing her children cannot be compared to anything in the world, it cannot be explained, and it cannot comprehended.

Her world came to a stand-still, maybe she couldn’t eat or sleep, maybe her eyes were constantly swollen from the tears, maybe she contemplated suicide, we do not know for sure but truth is, she was devastated.

But even before she healed from the loss of her children, her darling husband fell ill. Chapt 2 vs 7

Why would this happen to her, she had to take care of her ailing husband daily, we are not told that she ever left her husband’s side. But one of those days: I think she had had enough:

“Are you still holding on to your faith? Why don’t you just curse God and die? Chapt 2 vs 9

She had watched her husband grieve for their children, she watched as they lost all they had, maybe there was barely any food, maybe the neighbors had labelled them outcasts and now as if all these was not enough her husband was ailing, and he was in so much pain that he asked God to take his life at some point.   To Job’s wife, dying was way much better than living.

No one can excuse her statement, but I ask myself what would I have done differently? And I throw it back to you what would YOU have done differently.

Most of us have been quick to point her little faith out, but what if we found ourselves in the same situation? What happens then?

Of course Job challenges us to stay strong, his faith possibly strengthened his wife as well, even so Job’s wife has an experience that all of us can learn from and identify with. Experiences of pain and devastation, horror sorrow; and even in these instances; Jesus cares.

Oh yes he cares

Lot’s wife coming up soonJ  Keep it here