July 17

Job’s Health

          One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.  The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.”  Then Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives.  But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” 

                 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.”

                 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.  Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.

Job 2:1-8

           

            “Get some rest.  If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.”  The Princess Bride has Count Rugen talking to his Prince and offering some advice.  No matter how many important things are left to do or how many things we still have to cross off our list, we should always take care of ourselves because nothing that we achieve in the world is worth anything if we do not have bodies that are whole and healthy.

            I have met lots of people who are wealthy and happy.  I have met lots of people who are poor and happy.  I have met lots of people who are healthy and happy.  I have met precious few people who are sick and happy.

            Satan makes a valid point.  Physical pain and discomfort is an efficient way to rob joy from a person and have them abandon their beliefs and allegiances.  When our bodies hurt or feel off, everything about our life feels off.  Headaches?  Joint Pain?  Stomach issues?  Allergies?  Hang Nails?  A sliver in our finger?  The smallest pain can take all our focus and ruin everything about our day until the discomfort goes away.  We are deeply tied to how our bodies are doing.

           

            Now think of our kids.  Think of how their limbs don’t do what they want them to do.  Think of how their guts ache when they are around certain smells or foods.  Think of how sounds make their ears hurt or lights cause them headaches.  Think of how normal activities, like putting on clothes or going to the bathroom, can cause their skin to itch or their legs to shake.  Pain, discomfort and struggle are as much a part of their lives as anything else.  By all rights, they should be angry at the world, lashing out at anyone who has it easier.  It is within their rights to be jealous of their typical peers and angry at God.

            Bu they are not.  By and large, members of the IDD community are patient and kind, quiet and peaceful.  There are individuals and times that are exceptions, but our kids are mostly sweet and joyful in the midst of the chaos of their bodies.  Job is miserable and tends to his sores on a pile of ashes.  His wife tells him to curse God and die.  His friends come to visit him and are in shock at how pitiful he is.  But Job is faithful and full of integrity.  He is in pain but he honors and worships his creator.  It is hard and requires willpower, but he chooses hope and worship.  And God honors him for it.

            Our kids make the same choices.  They choose hope.  They choose patience.  They choose joy.  They choose God over grumbling.  And God sees their choices and honors them for it.  As we deal with the pains of getting older and our bodies break down with the burdens that we carry, let us remember Job and let us remember our children in order to choose hope and integrity and faithfulness in the face of physical pain.

A moment to reflect:

Where does your body hurt?  How can you choose faithfulness in the face of that?