The bug to worry about for food poisoning is Staphylococcus. As long as you wash your hands with soap and water before you put on the rub, and the meat wasn't handled with unclean hands before that, there shouldn't be a lot of staph germs there to cause problems. Also, if there was salt in the rub, that helps since salt inhibits the growth of bacteria: hence, salted meat and fish.
When I make biltong, for example, the meet stays at room temperature or just above for five or six days, which is safe because of the salt in the brining solution.
I agree with RiversiSmoker and your wife. it sounds very low-risk.