Extreme Prudential Wisdom

I am currently reading the book of Job. A few of Job's "friends" suggest that all Job needs to do is what is "right" then God will bless him. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar (please don't chose any of these names for your children) are telling Job that obviously he is doing something wrong that is he is sinning, which is the reason for all the calamity in his life. All he needs to do is what is right and he will be blessed by God.

We all have heard this and in fact I am guilty of telling my children the very same thing. Who hasn't heard the proverb - You get what you deserve and you deserve what you get.

But, Job rightly argues that there is a lot of unfairness in life. You don't get what you deserve. You often do bad and nothing happens or you do good and miserable things happen. Job's friends were arguing for prudential wisdom. All you have to do is learn the rules. You learn what "good" is you learn what "bad" is. Just do "good" and everything will be "peachy" for you. Not only by doing what is right, but by doing it you get immediate rewards. That is extreme prudential wisdom. Job's friends believe that is wisdom. Job argues against it.

So, I need to be careful in instilling in my children that if they just work hard and do what is right that life will be good. You know maybe I need to reprogram my own brain as I tend to look on other peoples misfortune as what they deserve.