I was meditating on Job the other day, on account of the Michael Card song "Job Suite", and an interesting thought came to mind about the meaning of suffering.
Scripture says, "'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied. 'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.'" Card puts it even more succinctly, "It's your holy handout his faithfulness buys."
What occurred to me is that if God made everything go well for his believers, they would soon love him for the wrong reasons: They would love him because he blessed them and did well for them, not for who he is. The opportunity to go through suffering (pretty much our whole lives) allows us to show genuine, selfless love for God.
This tells us something about our love for people. Unfortunately a lot of loves in our lives are based in part on what we get out of the other person. Most friendships and marriages work this way, it seems to me. Not that there aren't moments when we can show pure and genuine love for our spouses (or friends) but wouldn't it seem that most of the time our motives would largely be mixed?
I dunno, maybe this is why the church has historically placed so much more of an emphasis on apostolic love (say of religious taking care of the poor and sick, etc.) over married love. Your motives are purer when you embrace someone unpleasant and difficult who you may never see again versus someone for whom you have great affection who gives you pleasure.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:46-48)
Something to think about.
