Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:15)
Often in life, we think that for a person to be well-known, we must know a lot about him or her. However, that isn’t always the case. Sometimes we can know one small thing that makes a person unforgettable. Take Mrs. O’Leary’s cow of Great Chicago Fire fame. Not much is known about Mrs. O’Leary, and no one even knows if that is how the fire started. Yet that poor woman will forever be remembered for leaving that lantern where her cow could knock it over.
The same is true of the woman we will discuss today. Only two verses in scripture are dedicated to her, one in which she speaks and one in which someone speaks to her. We don’t know her name, but we certainly know her.
Job’s Wife
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. (Job 1:1-2)
Job was a very godly man; he was a faithful servant to his Lord. The word eschewed means “shunned or avoided.” He turned his back on evil because he feared the Lord and wanted to do what was right. It’s safe to say that his wife believed in the Lord and tried to do right also. It is certain that he raised his children to be the same way.
Job was a very blessed and wealthy man. Chapter 1 verse 3 tells us that he “was the greatest of all the men of the east.” God had given Job much as a reward for his obedience and faithfulness.
Job and his wife had ten children, and it is obvious that he worried about them when he wasn’t with them:
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. (Job 1:5)
However, just because Job lived a godly life, this did not mean that he was immune to tragedy. God would put Job and his wife through the most difficult test that anyone has ever had to face.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. (Job 1:12a)
God was going to lift His hedge of protection from around Job and his family and allow Satan to do his evil work.
And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: And there came a messenger unto Job… (Job 1:13-14a)
The Sabeans stole all 500 of their oxen and all 500 of their donkeys and killed the servants tending them.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another… (Job 1:16a)
Fire came down from Heaven and consumed all 7,000 of their sheep and the servants tending them.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another… (Job 1:17a)
The Chaldeans stole all 3,000 of their camels and killed the servants tending them.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another… (Job 1:18a)
A wind came out of the wilderness and caused the house to collapse on their children, killing all ten of them.
Imagine receiving such horrible news back-to-back in such a way. How could anyone stand such a thing? Job’s response is incredibly humbling for it is certain that none of us could respond in such immediate trust in the Lord:
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, 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. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (Job 1:20-22)
What amazing faith! Job passed the test. However, Satan wasn’t finished with him yet.
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. (Job 2:4-6)
Now God would allow Satan to attack Job’s body.
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. (Job 2:7)
Poor Job, first he loses his livelihood, then his children, and now his body is wracked with boils from head to toe. How can a man endure so much? Yet, Satan’s worst attack was yet to come…
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. (Job 2:9)
Imagine a wife saying such a thing to her husband! How cruel and unfeeling she was towards his plight! Yet, let’s be careful not to judge Job’s wife too harshly; she’s only human, after all. We focus so much on Job when we read this account that we tend to forget that his wife also lost her livelihood and her children as well.
Any woman who has ever lost a child can relate to the pain this poor woman experienced. How hard it must have been to try to understand why God would do such a thing to such faithful servants! In her crippling grief, Job’s wife chose to lash out at God for allowing such pain in her life. Haven’t we all done that at one time or another?
Job’s response may seem harsh to some, but it was exactly the reminder that his wife needed to hear:
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)
Job reminded her that it is in God’s power and perfect plan to allow good or evil into our lives. Our responsibility is to trust Him in every circumstance. Job chose to trust that God knew best; his wife chose to be bitter and angry toward God.
What We Can Learn
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. (Psalm 18:30)
God’s way is perfect. He has proven time and again that He knows better than we do. God does not think as men think; He does not see as men see (Isaiah 55:8-9). We must trust that He is in control.
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:15)
We must be diligent in guarding against bitterness in our lives. Job’s wife was hurtful in her words (and possibly in her actions) toward her husband because of the bitterness that she allowed to take root in her heart. Bitterness never remains dormant; it always springs up out of a person and hurts others.
Are we holding out on God today? Are we failing to trust His perfect way in our lives? Have we allowed the taking away of our own wants and wishes to cause bitterness in our hearts toward God?
We must learn from the example of Job’s wife! She chose the path of bitterness, and that one act, that one cruel statement, forever marked how she is known. Don’t make the same mistake.