Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting Thursday, August 8, 2024 at 4:00 pm in Cleaver-Burris-Boileau Hall. The meeting will be to address items that need attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting on August 26, 2024, including personnel additions.
Taylor Christine Bowman, age 31, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, completed her journey into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. She was born November 13, 1992, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Christopher Mark Bowman and Lana Lanette Hayden Bowman.
Taylor graduated from the Ft. Scott High School and the Ft. Scott Community College. Taylor had worked both as a CNA and in the dietary department at area nursing homes. She was currently employed as a cashier at Dollar Tree in Pittsburg.
Taylor had a green thumb and enjoyed tending to her many houseplants. She also enjoyed collecting owls and diamond painting. Taylor loved to travel, having made her own way to her dream trip to Ireland and Great Britain at the age of sixteen. She attended the Community Christian Church.
Survivors include her parents, Christopher Bowman and Lana Bowman, both of Ft. Scott, and two sisters, Cari Hunziker (Doug) of Drexel, Missouri and Leslie Farris (Nathan) of Decatur, Michigan. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her beloved grandparents, Raymond and Marjorie Hayden and Arthur “Tolle” and Doris Bowman.
A Celebration of Life will take place Thursday, August 8 at 1:30 pm at the Cheney Witt.
A time of visitation to follow at the chapel.
Taylor will be laid to rest next to her beloved grandparents at a later date during a private ceremony, in Centerville Cemetery in Devon, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to the Taylor Bowman Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at chenewitt.com.
This week’s Friday Night Concert will feature Mariam Tucker Self, Kansas City‘s only female Elvis tribute artist. Singing with professional studio tracks recreated by the EPProject, the evening will feature songs from Elvis’ famous 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii Concert,” plus additional favorite hits. The free concert, held in the Round Room at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 Horton, begins at 7:00 p.m.
“I’ve known this young lady since she was a child singing in church at the age of three. Her mother stood her up on the piano bench and she sang in perfect pitch. Born and raised in Fort Scott, she now resides in Peculiar, MO, with her husband Levi and their three daughters. She is the lead vocalist for the Tucker Family Band, performs solo gigs, and sings in the church worship team in Lee‘s Summit,“ concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “I am pleased to welcome Mariam onto the stage to perform for our great community. You won’t want to miss this lively show. Bring a neighbor and join your friends for a fun evening of musical entertainment.”
The concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce and organized by Carlson.
Levi M. Ramsey, 30, of Redfield, was taken into custody without incident on August 3, 2024 by the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office for an incident he reported to authorities on July 29, according to a press release for Bourbon County Sheriff William Martin.
At that time, Ramsey reported he had been shot by serveral unknown individuals.
During the investigation, deputies uncovered that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted and he had not been confronted or shot by any other individuals.
Ramsay was booked into jail with $5,000 bond and was released a short time later after posting the bond.
Ramsey will be charged with unlawful request for emergency service assistance giving a false alarm, criminal discharge of a firearm, and interference with law enforcement.
The criminal case is being forwarded to the Bourbon County Attorney’s Office awaiting review and formal charges.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
Riverfront Park has slowly been transforming from the unmaintained area it once was to a public space for concerts, weddings, and other gatherings and also beautiful tree-lined walk/bike trails.
Along the trails are resting areas and as you go under the Hwy. 69 Highway, some colorful historic murals have been painted by local artist, Stephen Toal.
Recently another enhancement has been added to the park.
“Due to the increased bicycle traffic, the need for bicycle repair and the ability to air tires has been met by the Fort Scott Rotary Club,” said Jerry Witt, president of the Riverfront Authority, which oversees the area. “Two bicycle repair stations have been added to the park. One station has been installed on the Belltown Walking trail on the north side of Marmaton River and a second station has been installed on the south River Loop Road.”
“The concrete foundations were funded by the Riverfront committee at a cost of $2,400.,” he said. “The repair stations consist of a bike rack, air pump, and various tools and were funded and donated by the Fort Scott Rotary Club.”
THE UNOFFICIAL HISTORY OF POST-MERCY HEALTHCARE IN BOURBON COUNTY
Compiled by: Nick Graham
PREFACE: I want to start out by saying that as volatile as the local political climate is right now, I think the one thing that EVERYONE can agree on is that they are genuinely thrilled Freeman is coming to Fort Scott. In my opinion, Freeman provides a level of care that Bourbon County hasn’t experienced in a long time – dating a lot farther back than when Mercy closed.
What you’re about to read is the result of me falling down a rabbit hole. While helping compile information on healthcare for a Facebook post for Leroy Kruger’s County Commission campaign, I ended up spending hours poring over old Tribune articles, County Commission meeting minutes and videos, and other news articles about the crazy ride that has been Bourbon County’s healthcare journey post-Mercy. What follows is the full tale of the $3.3 million dollars committed by the Bourbon County government in its quest to bring a hospital (or at least an ER) back to our community.
THE FIRST $800,000
JUNE 25th, 2021– The County and City sign a contract with a company called Noble Healthcare for a feasibility study regarding reopening the former Mercy Hospital. This contract is for $1 million dollars, with the City providing $200 thousand and the County providing $800 thousand of the first round of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds they received from the federal government.
According to USA Today, Noble was founded in December of 2019 by two individuals with no prior experience operating a hospital, and one of those individuals had been accused by the Department of Health & Human Services of Medicare Fraud (he ended up settling without admitting wrongdoing). This first obvious red flag was followed by a second one, which is that no feasibility study like this in modern history has ever cost anywhere close to $1 Million dollars, at least that I am aware of. That being said, we as a community were reeling from the traumatic loss of Mercy, and I understand how that could put us in a position to accept any and all explanations from some very slick people who told us exactly what we wanted to hear. At the time, Noble *did* have two hospitals operating in Missouri, which gave them some leeway to explain away these red flags.
One thing that you will notice if you go through the County Commission meeting minutes and news articles during this time is that the name of Noble representative MERRILL ATWATER shows up multiple times – remember that name, it comes back into the story later on.
JANUARY 31st, 2022 – A big press conference is held at the site of the former hospital, with multiple Congressmen and Senators flown in (at whose expense, I’m not sure), where Noble Healthcare announces their intentions to reopen the hospital. According to the February 2nd, 2022 issue of the Tribune, one of the Noble team members introduced by Noble CEO Drew Solomon at that press conference was…Merrill Atwater. Again, keep that name in mind.
MARCH 25th, 2022 – As news breaks that Noble is ceasing its hospital operations in Missouri under very abrupt and controversial circumstances, the Bourbon County Commission holds an emergency meeting. According to the March 26th, 2022 Fort Scott Tribune, “Commissioner Clifton Beth, who has been the Commission’s lead on healthcare issues, referenced a March 24 news release that stated Noble Healthcare Corporation – the company conducting the health care study for Bourbon County – is ceasing all of its hospital operations in Mexico, Mo., and Fulton, Mo., as of 5 P.M. Friday.” The Tribune article also quotes Commissioner Beth as saying the County still expects to receive the Feasibility Study (which it did -though it was authored by Noble themselves), and states that Beth also said that “If I was somebody who liked to be on Facebook, I’d be careful what I said. If I was Noble Health, I’d be suing some people, personally. Because you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Multiple articles in the following months, some published by USA Today, detail the devastating impact Noble’s closure had on employees and patients alike, including the fact that Noble employees had discovered that while Noble had collected money for their healthcare plans, they had failed to actually FUND them, leaving those people both jobless AND facing surprise giant medical bills. The demise of Noble leads to multiple investigations, as well as multiple lawsuits against the company. Throughout 2022 and into 2023, news articles detailing Noble’s misdeeds make national headlines.
THE NEXT $2 MILLION (AND A BUILDING)
NOVEMBER 17, 2022 – It is announced that the County is transferring the former hospital building to a California based nonprofit organization named the Legacy Healthcare Foundation. In addition to the building, the County will be giving Legacy $2 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds, with the condition being that the funds be used for building and property maintenance, development of an acute care hospital, and a handful of other specific expenses such as providing reduced rents to tenants like Via Christi, who was operating an ER in the hospital building. A November 17th, 2002 article in FortScottdotBiz quotes Commissioner Beth as stating “We have been in negotiations with them for six months…We transferred the building to them to develop. The building is the responsibility of Legacy Health Foundation as of today.” ’ I feel it should be noted that when this agreement with the County was signed, Legacy had NO LICENSE to practice healthcare in Kansas, and to this day this still doesn’t (those licenses are very difficult to obtain), which comes into play later in our story. But that’s the not the only red flag of concern:
A search of the Kansas Secretary of State’s office website shows that the Legacy Healthcare Foundation was incorporated in Kansas on September 26th, 2022, with the Registered Agent being listed as…MERRILL ATWATER. A registered agent is “an individual or a company that will be the LLC’s or corporation’s official point of contact in the state to receive service of process, other legal documents, and official communications from the state, and forward these documents and communications to the LLC or corporation for which it is acting as registered agent.” Mr. Atwater, according to his Linkedin (which is listed under Merrill Atwater Eisenhower) now serves as the Chief Strategy Office (CSO) for Legacy, as well as their parent company The B/R Companies. Did this information cause any pause with those negotiating on behalf of the County (presumably Commissioner Beth and the Director of REDI)? I want to make it clear that I am NOT implying that Mr. Atwater has done anything wrong, but I would think that his previous, public involvement with Legacy would have given anyone major pause prior to donating $2 million dollars and a building to them.
In fact, the opposite seems to be true: In an article in the November 30th, 2022 Tribune about community concerns regarding the agreement with Legacy, Commission Clifton Beth is quoted as saying “They’re not Noble. We paid for a study, Noble delivered a study. I don’t understand what people don’t understand about that. We, as a county, paid for something and got that something. I’m sick and tired of hearing about Noble. They’re not the same company.” The Tribune article also quotes Commissioner Harris as saying “The County was in a position we had to make some decisions with the building,”, and “We can discuss more detail at a later date…Noble has nothing to do with Legacy.” No one seems to have any concern that someone who was presented as a top member of Noble’s management team appears to be involved on a high level with Legacy.
OCTOBER 13th, 2023 – The Bourbon County Commission holds an emergency meeting due to rumors of an imminent announcement from Ascension Via Christi that they will be closing their ER in Fort Scott. Commissioner Beth makes a motion that the County contribute $500,000 towards Amberwell Health, Inc. for operation of an ER, with the understanding that other taxing entities such as the City and the Community College will also contribute. The motion passes 3-0. Per the official minutes of that meeting: “Clifton made a motion that we support, along with other taxing entities in the county, an entity that Legacy Health has brought to the county and has been working with for many months, which is Amberwell, to provide ER services in Bourbon County soon if not as close to possible after January 1st, 2024. The amount that Bourbon County would need to contribute is $500,000 contingent upon a signed MOU along with them coming and providing the services. Justin Meeks clarified that if other entities don’t agree to fund, the county’s share would go up. Jim seconded the motion and all approved.” Note that the motion specifies Amberwell as the recipient of this $500,000 contribution.
OCTOBER 31st, 2023 – Just under a year after the agreement with Legacy is signed, Ascension Via Christi announces it will be closing it’s Emergency Room operations in Fort Scott on December 20, 2023, leaving Bourbon County without an ER for an indefinite amount of time for the first time in modern history. It is announced that the Bourbon County EMS will continue services, but will have to transport patients out of the County for emergency care.
JANUARY 23rd, 2024 – Commissioner Clifton Beth makes three motions during a Tuesday night meeting of the Bourbon County Commission. The first motion is to allow Commissioner Jim Harris to sign a Memorandum Of Understanding with Amberwell Health, Inc. out of Atchison, KS regarding possible collaboration for emergency healthcare services. It is stated that this motion does not guarantee Amberwell will be able to provide those services, but it allows the County to start laying the groundwork for those services should Amberwell be able to get the licensing to open an ER in Bourbon County. The second motion is for the County to begin the process of preparing a 1/2 cent sales tax ballot question to be placed on the ballot in April to subsidize an ER and other healthcare services. Commissioner Beth states that this one-half cent sales tax will provide “$1.5 million, give or take” towards healthcare services. The third motion is for the Commissioners to sign a donation agreement from Ascension Via Christi, donating the equipment from their closed ER to the County.
Amberwell is ultimately unable to obtain the licensing to open an ER in Bourbon County.
THE FINAL $500,000
MARCH 11th, 2024 – The County Commission unanimously approves language for a 1/4 percent sales tax to go towards funding an ER question to be placed on the ballot for a special election on May 14th. Why did it go from 1/2 percent to 1/4 percent?
According to the March 13th issue of the Tribune: “On Monday, the original question presented asked for a one-half cent sales tax, but Commissioners approved a motion by Commissioner Clifton Beth to change the amount to a one-quarter cent sales tax.” The article goes on to say that Beth said the reason that he asked for a change in the amount of sales tax is the funds would be used to help an ER cover a loss. “One half-cent is around $1.5 million,” he said. “The loss in an ER is closer to half, to $750,000. We are not in the business of providing them a profit. This is strictly to make up their loss.” The article then states that Citizen Anne Dare asked the Commission’s response if a company needed $750,000 up front.
“I would say no,” Beth said.
“They don’t get a blank check.” Commissioner Jim Harris said.
Keep that in mind…
MAY 14th, 2024 – The sales tax ballot question is approved by a wide margin of voters. In my opinion this was largely due to a volunteer group of well respected local medical professionals and business owners taking the reins of the issue and having town hall meetings about it. In my opinion this group of citizens helped eliminate a massive trust deficit that existed due to the back to back Noble and Legacy “investments”.
JUNE 13th, 2024: Thanks to the sales tax passing, Freeman announces they are bringing ER services back to the hospital, as well as a 10 bed hospital. This is a huge, desperately needed shot in the arm for Bourbon County’s morale. Freeman CEO Paula Baker announces that they hope to have licensing in place to open by April 2025. Based on what I’ve been told by multiple ER sales tax committee members, and confirmed by the Director of REDI at the June 27th, 2024 County Commission meeting, Kansas Renewal Institute’s TJ Denning, who has local ties and is well connected with the Freeman board, was the lynchpin in bringing Freeman to Bourbon County.
JULY 8, 2024 – The front page of the documentation packet provided at the July 8, 2024 County Budget meeting shows that the County plans to drain $394,863 from the General Equipment Fund to go towards startup costs for Freeman. At the regular Commission meeting immediately following the budget meeting, citizen Anne Dare asks about this $394,863, and Commissioner Beth clarifies that the County is actually going to provide $500,000 toward startup costs for Freeman, and that the City also pledged $600,000. However, that is in reference to the motion and vote back on October 13th, 2023, which as shown above was specifically for Amberwell Health.
If the County was going to offer Freeman (or any potential ER provider) an additional $500,000 from the already incredibly depleted County budget, why not just keep the ballot question at one-half cent, which would have provided an additional ~$750,000? If you watch that July 8th County Commission meeting on YouTube, Commissioner Harris states that this is because the newly voted on sales tax won’t start accumulating until “late next year”. This isn’t correct, as the sales tax goes into effect in October, and the County will begin receiving it in January of 2025.
AFTERWARD: After finishing putting together what you’ve just read, I heard from a member of the ER sales tax committee who offered me some additional context. The sales tax committee was under the impression that the County’s commitment of $500,000 to Amberwell wasn’t specifically bound to Amberwell, but to whichever ER provider they could get across the finish line first. The committee intended to utilize that $1.1 million ($500k from the County, $600k from the City) if the prospective ER provider could start operations prior to the when the sales tax would start coming in (which will be January 2025). This committee member also informed me that there will be startup costs involved, as the ER and the equipment therein was not in the turn-key condition that was originally presumed.
Sources for THE FIRST $800,000:
1) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, January 26th: “County to look at feasibility of hospital in Fort Scott”
2)https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/03/22/noble-health-investigation-missouri-hospital-closures/11510166002/
3)https://www.bourboncountyks.org/march-29-2022-commission-meeting-minutes/?highlight=merrill%20atwater
4)https://www.bourboncountyks.org/june-14-2022-commission-meeting-minutes/?highlight=merrill%20atwater
5) Fort Scott Tribune, Wednesday, February 2, 2022: “A step closer to Bourbon County Hospital”
6) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, March 26, 2022: “Commissioners address rumors about company performing hospital feasibility study”
7)https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/08/15/missouri-hospitals-failed-provide-staff-health-insurance/10307764002/
Sources for THE NEXT $2 MILLION (PLUS A BUILDING)
1) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, November 19, 2022: “Hospital building transfer a done deal”
2) Legacy Healthcare Foundation registration with Kansas Secretary of State
3) Fort Scott Tribune, Saturday, November 19, 2022: “Questions surround county’s agreement for hospital building”
4) October 10th, 2023 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Minutes
5) October 10th, 2023 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (13:15 in)
6) Wednesday, October 11, 2023 Fort Scott Tribune: “County to subsidize ER – if other entities follow their lead”.
7) Fort Scott Tribune, Wednesday, November 1st, 2023: “Official: ER is closing”
8) January 23, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (1:23:47 in)
Sources for THE EXTRA $500,000 YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT…
1) March 11, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (41:51 in)
2) March 11, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Minutes
3) Wednesday, March 13th, 2024 Fort Scott Tribune article: “Commissioners approve language for sales tax question on May ballot”
4) June 17th, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (31:39 in)
5) July 8th, 2024 Bourbon County Commission Meeting Video (20:45 in)
Joshua Jones: Candidate for Kansas House of Representatives District 4
Hello there! I’m Joshua Jones, a proud resident of Bourbon County, where my family’s legacy spans back to the 1850s. My wife Karen shares this deep connection, with her family settling in western Bourbon County around the same time. Together, we’ve celebrated 23 years of marriage and have been blessed with three wonderful children: Taylor and Madison, both 23, and David, who is 19.
**My Promises to You:**
My belief is simple: if the people I serve benefit, then I benefit. We are all in this together. I am giving back my salary because your tax dollars should work for you.
How often do you only hear from politicians during the election? During my time as Mayor/City Commissioner, I was the first to hold public forums to get citizens’ input.
“The position I am running for encompasses all of Bourbon County and most of Linn County. Over the past few years, through my business, I have expanded my connections in Linn County.
As your state representative, I plan to leverage these relationships, along with engaging with other citizens, to address Linn County concerns and work together to create beneficial legislation.
In Bourbon County, I am the only candidate who resides here.
Issues such as the lack of an emergency room directly affect me and our community. While the announcement of Freeman Health System coming to town gives me hope, we must remember past promises, like the one involving Noble, which did not materialize.
Being the only Bourbon County candidate, it is crucial for me to ensure that Freeman’s arrival becomes a reality. Securing state-level support will be essential to ensure Bourbon County has adequate healthcare.
Issues like Pike Reservoir where the proposed lake would encompass cemeteries where I have family buried. No matter if I am for or against a project I would commit to involving citizens in the process like I did when I was City Commissioner.
Living in Bourbon County also provides me with a unique understanding of medium to smaller issues, such as trains blocking intersections for hours or the challenges faced by public schools competing in the same KSHSAA class as private schools, which I have personally experienced as an injustice.
These are issues I can address at the state level, and my residency in Bourbon County gives me a unique perspective and dedication to tackling them. I am committed to working tirelessly for the betterment of both Bourbon and Linn Counties.”
———————————————————————
This ad paid for by Joshua Jones Candidate/Treasurer
Rick James is a Republican candidate for the 4th district House of Representative, a position currently held by Trevor Jacobs. Trevor announced that he is not seeking another term.
Rick is passionate about protecting the conservative values of fellow Kansans. He understands that freedom is not merely a privilege but a birthright. He was raised in La Cygne, Kansas where he attended La Cygne elementary school and graduated from Prairie View High School in 1981. He entered the Marine Corps a few short days later serving a 30-year career. This career included serving in Desert Storm, Haiti, Iraqi Freedom, serving on embassy duty and as a Marine Drill instructor. He achieved the rank of Sergeant Major and was awarded the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. He also obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s Degree from the American Military University.
There was never a doubt, that he would return to Eastern Kansas. He moved his family to a small farm near highway 69 in 2008 and completed his Marine Corps career at Richard Gebauer Base in Belton. He retired a decorated Marine in 2011.
Since retiring from the Marine Corps he opened two local businesses, Semper Fi Auction Services and Bravo Realty. The Marine Corps instilled a dedication to serving his community. In 2014 he ran for the district 1 Linn County Commissioner. He served 2 full terms from 2014-2022. He did not seek reelection for a third term because, he believes there should be term limits in government at all levels.
He has a personal interest in Kansas, he was a military leader and a small Business owner. He has conservative views!! He believes in the right to bear arms, he is pro-life, he believes in a smaller government and reduced taxes.
Politicians represent the people they serve, and he takes that very seriously! He would appreciate your vote on August 6. Click here to follow him on Facebook. Semper Fi and God Bless!
Paid for by Rick James for KS State Representative.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Center for the Book, part of the State Library of Kansas, selects one youth and one adult book to represent the state in the annual Great Reads from Great Places program. The program highlights books that are written by authors from the state, take place in the state, or celebrate the state’s culture and heritage.
The Kansas great reads for this year feature two Kansas Notable Book winners: One Boy Watching, written and illustrated by Grant Snider and Hell’s Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, A Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier, by Susan Jonusas.
One Boy Watching celebrates the extraordinary found within the ordinary. This book puts into words what it feels like to be a passenger, inviting young readers to climb aboard bus number four as it opens a new world of discovery.
Hell’s Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, A Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier tells the story of how the people of Labette County, Kansas, in 1873, made a grisly discovery. Buried by a trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property, were nowhere to be found. The discovery sent the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy that continued for decades, sparking an epic manhunt for the Benders.
The Kansas selections officially join the 2024 Great Reads from Great Places at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. on August 24, 2024. To view previous years’ selections visit Library of Congress Great Reads from Great Places. You can start in Kansas, then discover literary highlights from the other 49 states and 6 territories that have Center for the Book affiliates.
###
A meeting of the Industrial Development Research Committee will be held on August 5, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bourbon County Commission Meeting in the Bourbon County Courthouse, 210 S. National Ave. Fort Scott, KS 66701.
Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
Do you ever open your mouth just to switch feet? I do, and it’s terribly embarrassing. I’ve said a lot of things that would’ve been better left unsaid. The two most-awkward instances that stick out in my memory is in regard to the topic of pregnancy. I knew the rule about never ever ever asking a woman if she’s pregnant, or the due date of the baby. (Knowing a rule and abiding by a rule are two different things.) Neither of these two lovely ladies were actually pregnant. Fortunately, both were gracious and forgiving to me, but I felt like digging a hole and crawling in. It’s impossible to back peddle out of a social faux pas of this magnitude. You’d think since I first pulled this thoughtless stunt in 1993 I wouldn’t do it again in 2024 — but I did.
God had his eye and hand on Job and had blessed him beyond measure. Satan was also watching Job. God was pleased with Job and told Satan, “He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless — a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil” (Job 1:8 NLT). Long story short, Satan was allowed to destroy Job’s possessions and do with him as he pleased, but God did not allow him to kill Job. You might say that Job had the biggest mid-life crisis ever recorded. But my favorite scripture of this account is: “In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God” (Job 1:22 NLT). Job was not guilty of sticking his foot in his mouth even though he was suffering terribly.
Now, Job’s wife was a different story. He would have been better off if Mrs. Job would have kept her mouth shut. I think she actually had both feet in her mouth at the same time. Her bad advice to her husband was, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 1:9 NLT). This is a prime example of the adage, “If you can’t say anything good, then don’t say anything at all.” I’d say Mrs. Job sinned with her mouth in the third degree.
Many Christ followers occasionally and unintentionally make foolish, tactless, or hurtful remarks. And when this happens we should sincerely apologize to the individual, ask for God’s forgiveness, and determine to be more careful in the future. But it appears Mrs. Job was hatefully intentional with her cutting words. She was a discourager instead of an encourager and a pathetic helpmeet. Maybe Satan didn’t kill her just to torture poor Job even more.
“Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3 GW). If we want to live a happy life and get along with people, we need to consider what we’re about to say before we say it. God created our amazing bodies and He expects us to connect our brain to our mouth before we speak.
“Indeed, we all make many mistakes…” (James 3:2 NLT). Only God’s grace can help us control our words. We need to realize the importance of disciplined speech. A few unkind words, combined with an undercurrent of judgment, can start a fire that’ll completely burn down an established relationship. Remember, only you can prevent forest fires.
The Key: Life is happier if your foot stays where it belongs.
