Job 21: Being Righteous is Hard

What happens when the wicked prosper? When those who mock God build empires, live in luxury, and die in peace, while the faithful struggle and suffer? What do we do when life, and even the concepts of fairness and justice refuse to fit into the neat little boxes we’ve constructed for them? That’s exactly what Job takes up in chapter 21. After enduring yet another round of “Job, you must have done something to deserve this,” he finally pushes back—hard. He challenges the shallow theology of his friends, forcing us to wrestle with the reality that, in this life, the wicked often flourish while the righteous weep.

The Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 21. Find Wrestling with the Basics at kfuo.org/WrestlingWithTheBasics.

Why do the righteous suffer? That’s the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job’s story isn’t just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it’s about wrestling with God’s will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God’s grace rather than human understanding. As Job’s friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God’s response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.