The Greatest Secret: How Being God's Adopted Children Changes Everythingናሙና

 Adoption – Searching out the suffering   

In cultures where people would have assumed that wealth and hereditary made some people more important or more valuable than others, Job presents an understanding of human value and dignity that shines with the noblest aspects of politics, equality and human rights, thousands of years before such ideas were normalised in theory at least. His motivation was his righteous respect for our common creator, and his godly fear of our common judge. Because we all share the same origin story and we all have to give an account of ourselves before God, Job believed that everyone should be treated with equity and righteousness. 

This was not just doctrine for Job. This was worked out in the way he cared for the needy and vulnerable, and particularly the fatherless. His description reminds me of the work of foster carers and adopters with vulnerable children. He mentions the practical assistance of providing food and clothing. He mentions the emotional proximity that comes with childrearing and offering guidance. He mentions the relational privileges of blessing and being blessed. And he mentions the professional advocacy of using his power and influence for the sake of the fatherless, actively seeking their welfare, not only avoiding doing them harm. 

When others suffered, Job reached out to them and stood up for them. And when Job suffered, those actions enabled him to face off his critics and maintain perspective. 

At this stage in the book Job’s suffering has been going on a while and yet he can still claim to be innocent of ignoring or exploiting the needy. Even in the middle of his own suffering, Job continued to care for those in need around him. Perhaps the power of suffering may be offset, to some degree, by our power in alleviating the suffering of others. This is not to say that caring for the vulnerable insulates you from difficulties. Job continues to suffer terribly, even though he is just and righteous and committed to the welfare of the needy. 

I meet many people who make incredible sacrifices for the sake of others, and yet also face incredible challenges of their own. Sometimes we receive suffering, not only as we relieve suffering in others, but because we relieve suffering in others. 

Job, in his own questions, wrestling with the cause and effect of his suffering, has at least one thing to hold onto: his understanding of who God is compelled him to help others in need. The more involved he got, the more he understood God. His sufferings were terribly hard, but he would endure them. His faith would be shaken, but it would also be strengthened.