You claim you are pure in the eyes of God. O that God would speak and tell you what he thinks. O that he would make you truly see yourself, for he knows everything you have done. Listen, God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve. Job 11: 4-6

They have a term for it. It’s called “adding insult to injury.” Someday, I’ll write a book on the subject. I endured my share of it growing up.

The setting was where Zophar, one of Job’s “comforters,” was explaining why all these calamities had befallen him. “Bottom line, Job? It’s because you’re such a wicked sinner. God isn’t even giving you what you really deserve!”

I grew up in a church that placed an emphasis on miracles and prayer for the sick. They would often form a “healing line” for those in need of prayer. I had polio as a child, so I would go through the line time after time. When I wasn’t healed, inevitably, I would hear one of two explanations. I didn’t have enough faith, or there was sin in my life.

Now, before I continue, let me say I am not knocking healing. I believe very much that God heals today but in His plan, he chose to let me go through life with a disability.

But like I was saying, I cannot count the times well-meaning church members, in an attempt to explain why I was not healed, would accuse me of having sin in my life. My only question, “Who doesn’t?” There’s only one person I know of who didn’t and it “twernt me!” If God went around crippling everyone who sinned, all I can say is, “Buy stock in crutches. Dump your tech stock and invest in wheelchairs.”

Now before I get indicted by the SEC for giving investment advice without a license, I have to wonder, “What terrible sin did I commit at age two that warranted being hit with polio?” Unless it was the time I threw my bottle out of the crib.

In today’s verse, Zophar is blaming Job’s calamity on sin. “Job, it’s your wickedness that brought this on.”

I got four words for you, Zophar. “Look in the mirror, Dude!”

Okay, that was five. But today is buy four, get one free day.

No, it was not about sin. There was something much bigger going on behind the scenes. Job’s life was the focal point in a conflict between God and Satan. How he responds to his adversity will determine if the Father and all the angels of Heaven rejoice or if Lucifer and all his demons get bragging rights.

Aren’t you glad Job’s faith remained strong?

Whatever you’re going through today, my friend, you stay strong too. You never know what’s going on behind the scenes.

 Stay strong, you hear?!