Relationships, God, and the World

Job 1.1, 2.1-10, Psalm 26, Hebrews 1.1-4, 2.5-12, Mark 10.2-16

Job stands for unquestioning faithfulness, persisting in his integrity even when the evidence suggests that it is worth nothing. His wife stands for normal humanity, desiring at least the satisfaction of telling God what you think of ‘him’ before succumbing to the inevitable. When Job scolds her for speaking as a foolish woman would it is not clear whether the implied contrast is with a wise woman or with a foolish man How would a foolish man speak? She had an answer to that, but seems to have been too tactful to mention it.

The problem, for Job’s wife, is that of an unrewarded faith. For Job, on the other hand, faith is not a transaction but a relationship. We don’t get into relationships for what we get out of them, but because they are good in themselves. That said, there are break points beyond which a good relationship can be said to have died.

Job, to his wife’s incomprehension, is not yet at such a point. He regards every turn of his fortunes as a gift of one sort or another, and simply receives what he is given. There’s something child-like about this faith, with its uncomplicated ability to receive, and it may provide a clue towards the understanding of today’s gospel. Jesus tells the disciples that the kingdom of God belongs to ‘such as these’ children, and it’s possible that their simple acceptance of life is the reason.

Another reason could be the obvious fact that the future is theirs in the same way that the present is ours. Everything we have is the gift, not only of God, but of previous generations: we are the stewards of the world, not its owners. For this reason, if for no other, we need to treat the world with reverence, gratitude, and generosity.