Job right along with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes is considered a major piece of wisdom literature. We’ve been hearing for several weeks now snatches from this kind of literature: in Proverbs and from the letter of James. Wisdom literature offers a certain way of looking at the world. For the Old Testament, Hebrew, books this way of life is characteristic of the ancient Israelites/ancient Near East. Wisdom was dedicated to giving a sense of order in the world. For example: You give and then you receive what the world gives based on what you offer. This is called retributive justice.

So the beginning of Job offers up a description of a man who long ago lived in the land of Uz keeping an upright life. (He gave a lot.) The entry into Job’s life and dilemma is told as if it’s the beginning not so much of an actual person but a prototype perhaps. Once, long ago there was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz; he was blameless and upright. We are given this person who does no wrong. Now, if the world has order to it, one would expect that Job would have a good life. He has done good, therefore he should receive the bounty of a blameless life.

How many of us would not expect the same? We do the absolute best we can, our lives should reflect that goodness. The circumstances of our lives should reflect that goodness.

But now in Job the council of heavenly beings, sons of God in Hebrew, including the one who was the Accuser called Satan in our translation meet with God. I need to stop and say, this is not the usual Satan or devil to which we often refer but this being, the Accuser, the one named Satan, is one who sat on the council as a son of God whose role was to challenge.

The council of sons of God were discussing Job’s integrity. The Accuser claims that loyalty and faith in God is dependent on one’s well-being, what he has received because he is faithful. After some back and forth between God and the Accuser, God allows Job’s righteousness, his faith to be challenged; God allows Job to suffer serious physical ailments at the hands of the Accuser.

Now mind you, I don’t believe in a God who would sit around testing this one and that one’s righteousness or faith. I am not sure that early Israelites believed that. They did, however, believe that illness was related to committing sin. I don’t think we’re being asked to believe this set up. But rather this scenario is most likely a drama presented in order to consider why one would be righteous, why one would have faith in God; it delves into how you explain one’s suffering when there is no sin or fault.

We know folks who have suffered at no fault of their own. We have suffered in that way. Our faith community has lived through, even most recently, the suffering of families and individuals due to illness and death. Why do we suffer at no apparent fault of our own? Those very questions that Job asks are on our own lips. I’m not sure that there is any answer, any easy answer. I’m not even sure that’s always the right question.

But this story catches me even before we get to the point of Job’s affliction. We say, no, to such a person who is blameless and upright. It’s not a real situation. How could there ever be such a person. And yet, we can think of those, a couple here or in another setting who were/are always giving to the community. You know, we might consider them one of the saints of church. They are just a good family with wonderful children. Sometimes we even go so far to say, “I can’t imagine that they would even have an evil thought.” They are so faithful to the church. Oh, it might be just an individual. She is always so giving.

He’s the one who says this is how things are done here. She’s ever doing. And yet, if you look closely, you might notice lines in her face or his not looking at you directly as you talk with each other. The most we know about any trouble is that time with one of the kids but they all got through it.

But you know what’s interesting: the ones we set apart like that because of their goodness. They have/can become the holy ones for us. You know who they are perhaps. Teenagers have them, too: the perfect ones in their classes – the ones with no acne, in the latest clothes, prepared for class, great at hockey or football, have all the friends in the world; they have everything. The holy ones for us or the high school dream person - their so-called status, helps us maintain a distance and our timidity so we can avoid facing their lives as they are really lived. Their so-called status also helps us to avoid what may be eating at us, eating at our own lives. Blind admiration for the blameless and upright perfect individual may help us to avoid having honest conversations with one another and about our own selves. You see – holding the other up to unrealistic ideals often has us suffering alone.

Do you see? Do you really see? The set-up in the beginning of Job includes the premise: if you do good, you are promised happiness. If you do “A” that will get you to “B” and then “C”. Can you hear in that, if you buy ‘me’, if you buy this, you’ll be happy. If you take this pill, you’ll feel better. Follow these instructions, you will have built a boat and you’re on your way to pure joy. If you are righteous, all will be well.

Life tells us differently. It is not a simple 1 plus 1 equals 2. It is not all or none. When we think about it, we know that intellectually.

Life is full of ambiguities. You see, Job was dishonored here; he has been reduced to a stand-in for everyone’s illusions. His wife just hints in her remark to him toward the end of our reading, You are righteous in your words. It begs me to ask, so Job really wasn’t completely righteous and blameless in all ways.

Job is not even given the dignity of truth. Job is presented as a stick figure subject to the whims of a God who would have him acting as a puppet. God is not like that.

God would be at Job’s side as he suffered. We don’t need to point to the one or two or three who may seem like saints to us in this faith community or another, we do not need to point to a high school class mate who has it all, for we all, I’ll say that again, we all are in this mix of joys and sorrows called life together.

That’s what brings us to this very table. I believe God suffers along side of us. God is beside us in our joy and thankfulness. That’s what brings us to this table. Jesus suffered; our faith tells us he was a blameless man. And yet he suffered, by choice. Our faith says to us, because he suffered, Jesus understands our suffering. God walks with us, beside us.

Perhaps in journeying with us, God gives us the strength and courage to move from day to day. Perhaps in journeying with us God offers a vision of hope that may only be dim but will become clearer. Perhaps in journeying with us, God will offer the gift of life to us again and again.

You see the title I offered for this meditation: Do not suffer alone is a little misleading. The full title is: We do not suffer alone. God is with us.