Job 4: 7  “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?” That was Job’s friend Eliphaz the Themanite in response to Job’s misery. It must have been Job’s fault.

 We all know people like Job’s friends. We have heard them proclaiming, to anyone that will listen, that the plight of the poor is the fault of the poor. They will tell us that the poor must have done something wrong: sinned before God, went to the wrong school, invested poorly, chose path A instead of path B, and ultimately they must have chosen the wrong family to be born into. If those in need have no abundance, especially and specifically material abundance, then there is no need to help them, other than to teach them the error of their ways. The assumption also follows that once they know better, they will fix the error in the morality and will be rewarded accordingly. If they are not rewarded, then they must have to make penance for their mistakes. In all outcomes, there is little emphasis put on the behavior, and responsibilities of those with material abundance to help the situation of the poor.

There is fear there among those who would credit material wealth to good decisions. In a universe of their making, one simply follows the formula, puts the coin of behavior in the proper vending machine, and gets the prize. The behavior and the prize are subject to whatever they have decided is proper and desired. Acknowledging the obvious contradictions surrounding these assumptions means that the illusion of control would have to fall. It would also mean that anyone at anytime could fall into what they define as a moral failure rather than simple lack of material abundance. They want safety, guarantees, control, and the moral high ground.

Job’s plight though, was not borne of his nefarious behavior. It was instead due to his righteous behavior. In a seemingly random wager between Satan and God, Job was put to the test. Job lost nearly everything because Satan was sure that Job would turn his back on God when he lost all that he had been blessed with. Job didn’t turn on God, even after all he had lost. His friends though, came in and gave him a lecture because they were sure they knew God’s opinion. That was a very wrong assumption on their part and based on arrogance. They were assuming that their good behavior was why they were not in Job’s place. They assumed their material abundance was proof of God’s approval. Job finally reached his limit and called God to account, asking for God’s witness that Job had not brought this on himself. I’m sure that Job didn’t actually expect a response. He got a response and so did his friends. It was a very long response that chastised Job for his temerity. Job apologized.

“Job: 7 And after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Themanite: My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, because you have not spoken the thing that is right before me, as my servant Job hath.  8 Take unto you therefore seven oxen, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves a holocaust: and my servant Job shall pray for you: his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you: for you have not spoken right things before me, as my servant Job hath.”

Why all this about Job?

His friends were wrong. But if they were his friends, why didn’t they believe him? They came to commiserate with him about losing his wealth, his children, and his health. They came to lecture him and give them their wise counsel. They assumed he was somehow unworthy of them sharing their abundance with him. The story of Job is about how abundance is not earned, it’s not part of a contract. It’s a free gift. It’s our baseline. Material abundance is not a signifier of moral righteousness. And in the same way, material lack is not a signifier of moral bankruptcy. There are no undeserving poor. There are only the poor and they could use some help. It’s our job to help.