This lesson turns attention to Job’s wife, who often gets overlooked but endured her own crushing grief. Having lost her children, home, and livelihood, she now watches her husband suffer in agony—what the teacher calls “secondhand suffering.” In despair, she urges Job to “curse God and die,” not necessarily out of rebellion but perhaps from wanting his pain to end. Ancient traditions suggest her suffering included wandering, poverty, and even selling her hair for food. The key truths highlighted are: (1) secondhand suffering can be as painful as firsthand suffering, though sufferers often feel guilty expressing it; (2) those caring for the hurting can reach despair even faster than the one suffering directly; and (3) secondhand sufferers also have lessons to learn from God. Job gently rebukes his wife, reminding her that both good and adversity come from God’s hand. His response models trust in God’s sovereignty even without explanation, and perhaps sparked renewed faith in his grieving wife. The lesson encourages compassion for “secondhand sufferers” and faith that receives all of life from God’s hand.
Mrs. Job
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