The Compliment

Have you ever considered going through trial after trial to be a compliment? I had never thought of it this way until I I read the story of Job. The following Bible passage in particular stuck out to me.

Job 1:6-8 "One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 

Tempting Job and giving him problems was probably the furthest thing from Satan's mind until God nominated him. He nominated Job for the job of temptee. Why?

Why would God nominate Job for the job of losing all his oxen, donkeys, sheep, and camels? Why would God nominate Job for a job in which he would receive painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head? Why would God nominate Job for a job whose description included burying all of his sons and daughters? Why? Because Job could take it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

God allowed Satan to take Job's possessions, servants, sons, and daughters because he knew Job could bear it. It was the ultimate compliment. God knew the kind of faith warrior Job was. He told Satan to hit him with his best shot. Satan still lost.

Job's story has comforted, inspired, and encouraged countless hundreds of thousands of Christians going through trials. Maybe God is using you and the way you're handling trials you're going through to comfort, inspire, and encourage others.

In a strange way, it's the ultimate compliment.