Focus Scripture 1:21 (NRSV)
“[Job] 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’.”
Generally, when a champion goes to war, she has allies to whom she can turn. However, as a public school principal in 1993, I had few supporters and many foes. In September, one of the central office administrators who had been among my allies died of cancer, leaving me without anyone to speak on my behalf at the district level. In October, one of the teachers I had reprimanded for her cruelty to children vowed to destroy me and set out to do so with gusto. On November 1, my brother was removed from his respirator after spending three weeks in a coma caused by someone pushing him down a flight of stairs. On November 4, my husband’s grandmother died; she had been one of the few relatives who had embraced me unconditionally after I married into the family. On November 19, my maternal great-aunt, who was selfless and pure of heart, passed away. To top things off, early in December, I developed pneumonia and was ordered to stay in bed for two weeks. As a result, I missed a great deal of school. Instead of cards and flowers wishing me a speedy recovery, the superintendent sent me a reprimand for excessive absenteeism.
I remember telling my secretary at the time, “I feel like Job.” Because I had no one else to turn to, I turned to God. My faith sustained me then and still does today. In retrospect, I can say my insights were comparable to Job’s. For example, my experiences taught me about people. I learned that many people in the district were not worthy of my trust and that, in far too many cases, when I expected the worst from them, I was never disappointed. I learned that people were generally not steadfast or noble; they tended to abandon you in your hour of greatest need.
My experiences also taught me about God. During that episode in my life, God became a force that replenished my depleted soul. I learned that God hears me when I pray and answers in God’s own way and time. After watching, waiting, and reanalyzing my plight over the years, I can now see that what has happened in my life has often been part of a greater, divine plan. Finally, I learned that God is faithful.
Though adversity continues to swirl like a tempest all around me, God has never failed to give me comfort and hope in my darkest hours. My experiences during the 1993 school year taught me to trust God completely. I have learned to find peace in God’s grace, and I can say, as did Job, that the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).
Prayer
Loving and faithful God, help us to remember that you are faithful. Blessed be your Holy name. Amen.
From Reflective Renewal: Grace at the Crossroads
