Job Wants to Die

"Oh, that I might have my request,
       that God would grant what I hope for,

that God would be willing to crush me,
       to let loose his hand and cut me off!

Then I would still have this consolation—
       my joy in unrelenting pain—
       that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. – Job 6: 8-10

Today’s Reading: Job 5-7; Acts 8: 1-25

Job is having a tough time y’all…

He has lost his family, all of his possessions, and has infected and worm infested boils all over his body from head to toe.

And to top it all off he is begging to die.

To be quite honesty with you… I don’t blame him. I’m sure there are many people who have committed suicide under not quite so dire circumstances. I don’t say that to judge those folks but really to comment as to how rough Job has it right now.

Remember Doctor Death from the 80s?

For those that are unfamiliar, this dude, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, organized his practice around helping people commit suicide. He set up this contraption where a person could press a button that would give them an injection that would end their life. It was big news at the time. Everyone was outraged and horrified. How could this man help people do something so “wrong”?

Even as a kid I was able to see the many sides of this story. Yes it seemed like a horrible idea but geez… what if someone really wants to end it but they don’t have the means to do so. They don’t have access to a gun or sleeping pills and aren’t strong enough to do it otherwise. Maybe they are old or terminally ill. Why shouldn’t people have the right to pay for this service?

And then on the flip it was like ewwwwwwwww… this is your hustle homie? You’re getting paid to help people kill themselves? What a flaw hustle that is? How do you sleep at night? More importantly… what happens if the person changes their mind at the last minute? Do they get a refund? Do you press the button for them to make sure that you get your money?

The ethical ramifications were tremendous and as a result he did some time in the penitentiary.

When I read this passage of Job speaking honestly, from the heart, about how he is so miserable that he wishes his life would just end; I am humbled by the fact that I have never truly been so low. I’ve never been able to truly identify with the people who set in Dr Death’s chair, happy with the decision that they are making.

I hope to never will.

For those of us who have experienced such lows and come back from them I applaud you. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit that there are people who live tragedies every single day but some how find a way to wake up and smile in the morning.

If only we could all be so strong.

And for those who have suffered loss of this nature from a loved one or friend I send my prayers out to you that your heart may have peace and may one day be whole again.