Reflections on Job 1:1

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.
Job 1:1, Modern English Version (MEV)
 
Considered by many to be one of the oldest writings in the Bible, the book of Job is something of a tragic opera based on an absurd situation that is then used to highlight the absurd responses of the primary characters in the story. Whether Job was a real person, or whether the entire situation actually happened, makes no difference whatsoever. The intent is for us to lean something, which we will attempt to do.
 
And so, in keeping with that, we are introduced to Job. We are told, right up front that Job was about as close to perfect as anyone could come, everything we all aspire to be, but will probably never come anywhere close to. Seems a rather curious way to begin a story that would want to relate to.