Haiku for testing
Wealth and possessions
have long been seen as proof of
a virtuous life.
Surely God blesses
the ones who are deserving!
Yes, but not always.
The poor are not blessed;
their poverty evidence
of their shortcomings.
The story of Job,
written to challenge. The good
don’t always prosper.
In the land of Uz,
so the ancient tale goes; lived
Job, a righteous man.
Blameless and upright,
bulk money, stacks of children;
Job had a good life.
God boasts about Job.
Satan calls his bluff. Test him;
let’s see what he does!
In but a moment
it is gone. Taken away,
the blessings withdrawn.
Job remains faithful.
God boasts again. Satan laughs;
I’ll really test him!
Satan inflicts Job
with sores from head to toe. Let’s
see what he says, now!
Job’s wife speaks to him:
Enough! It is surely time
to curse God and die!
Job replies:
The good we receive
comes from God, surely we must
accept the bad, too.
