My Beloved the benevolent                                                                             

Grace and peace wishing every goodness and blessing

Among the characters in the Bible who were known to take care of the poor and needy is Job the Righteous. The book of Job mentions, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” Job 1:1 Job lived in the land of Uz which is located in the Syrian Desert, east of Palestine. He lived in the patriarchal period before Moses and was not from the children of Israel, but worshiped God and feared Him. He lived a life of purity, and among his virtues was his love of serving the needy. Job was very rich not only in material matters, but in his love for the needy as well.

The Book of Job documented for us -by Job himself- what he used to do to serve the poor, the widows and the orphans. Job says, “Because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper, the blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked and plucked the victim from his teeth.” Job 29:12-17 Job also says, “If I have kept the poor from their desire, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or eaten my morsel by myself, so that the fatherless could not eat of it. But from my youth I reared him as a father, and from mother’s womb I guided the widow; If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or any poor man without covering; if his heart has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;” Job 31:16-20 And Job  also says, “If the men of my tent have not said, Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat? But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, for I have opened my doors to the traveler” Job 31:31-32

Christ our Lord spoke of merciful acts towards the needy and mentioned some categories of the needy, “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me…and the King will answer and say to them, assuredly, I say to you , inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matt. 25:34-36, 40  

Christ our Lord mentions six categories of people: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned.

Job cared for these categories of people:

1,2. The Hungry and the Thirsty:

“If I have…eaten my morsel by myself, so that the fatherless could not eat of it.”

“If the men of my tent have not said, who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?”

3. The Stranger:

“But no sojourner had to lodge in the street, for I have opened my doors to the traveler”

4. The Naked:

“If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or any poor man without covering; if his heart has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep”

5. The Sick:

“I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.”                   

6. The Imprisoned and Oppressed:

“Because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper;”

“I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked and plucked the victim from his teeth.”

Then Satan envied Job and said to the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased and the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” Job 1:9-11        

God permitted Satan to test Job, therefore he lost his fortune, and all seven of his sons and his three daughters. Then Satan afflicted him with painful sores from the bottom of his feet to his forehead. Job withstood the test and said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job.1:21 And when his wife told him, “‘Do you still hold fast to 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 shall we not accept adversity?” Job.2:9-10.  In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Thus, Job became a role model for patience. As St. James said in his epistle, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:11

We learn from Job’s life the importance of doing good deeds, and that being truly rich is to possess a heart that is rich in the love for doing good and helping others. God may permit trials to those who love Him, but grants them special grace to withstand the trials. God would not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to withstand. For with temptation, He also offers a way of escape. Bearing temptation qualifies us for many blessings such as the ones that the Lord blessed Job with, which was twice as much as he lost.

May God grant us to be like Job the Righteous in his love of serving the needy, and in his patience in enduring temptation, and may God bless your offerings to support Santa Verena Charity Programs.

Metropolitan Serapion