Devotional - 99-04-16 - Job's Wife

Job 2:9-10 (NNAS) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die! But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips."

Today we continue in a monthly series where we examine some things we can learn from women of the Bible. Sometimes we can learn as much from people's mistakes as from what they do right. We don't know a lot about Job's wife; we do not even know her name. But we do know that she was not exactly a pillar of support for him! Job's wife did not encourage him to persevere, to do the right thing. She did not remind him of God's sufficiency to meet all his needs. She urged him to give up - to take the easy way out. In essence, she was no help at all; she was a discourager rather than an encourager.

Sometimes when we urge someone to take the easy way out, it is because we don't want them to suffer. But the truly loving thing is to encourage them to, as the army slogan says, "Be the best you can be." Do you have a family member or friend who is facing a stressful time or a moral decision? If so, are you being like Job's wife? "Lie to the policeman and the insurance company. It's your word against the other person's." "Why bother doing the right thing? The good guy always loses anyway." "You can't apply the Bible to that situation. This is the real world." Or are you praying for them and strengthening them to "fight the good fight" and do what is right?

1 Th 5:14 (NNAS) We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Dear Lord, please help us be encouragers rather than discouragers. Help us to encourage each other to do the right thing. In Jesus' name amen.

Jan

jan@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org