Reading: Job 5-8
To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place (Job 6:14-17).
The suffering of Job was sudden and extreme. He’d lost his possessions, children, and health without warning that anything was amiss prior to the striking of catastrophe. His wife had given into despair and turned from him, raging in bitterness towards the Lord. For the beleaguered man, the appearance of his three friends must have appeared to be God sent. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great (Job 2:12-13). As they silently joined him in mourning, their presence provided him with desperately needed comfort and strength.
After a week of grief too powerful for words, Job began to verbally express his heartbreak and confusion. He was not seeking answers from his friends; in what he believed to be their supportive presence, he allowed his anguish to pour forth as he addressed his questions to God. Yet as soon as he began to speak, his friends switched from consolers to counselors. Drawing from the ‘wisdom’ of self-righteousness, they quickly concluded that Job was being punished for some horrible hidden sin that had drawn the wrath of God. Instead of offering comfort and understanding, they gently prodded him to confess the sin and seek the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy.
The tone of their lectures ranged from mild censure to outright cruelty, and Job inwardly cringed at the force of their combined attack. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away. Job knew the hallmarks of true friendship, having been a friend to many during his long and previously prosperous life. Now he was in desperate need, but he was forced to watch helplessly as his sole means of support was swept away and replaced by yet another level of torment. Friends had become foes in the blink of an eye, and Job was left reeling from the shock.
When a friend is suffering or in crisis, God expects us to offer comfort and support, not blame and judgment. We are NOT called to speak for God, and it is NOT our place to dig around in their lives in search of hidden sin. Even if it seems clear to us that their actions brought about their pain, lecturing them will not help. The next time you are in a position to comfort a friend in need, try offering only love, physical and emotional support, and continuous prayers instead of' helpful' advice. You might be amazed at the results!
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another(John 13:34).
Thought For Today We cannot dictate to another the terms of their relationship with God, but we can share in the joy of their service.
Word Studies: 5:12 devices = plans, plotting; enterprise = schemes; 5:13 froward = deceitful; carried headlong = frustrated; 5:18 maketh sore = inflicts pain; 6:3 swallowed up = rash; without restraint; 7:21 sleep in the dust = be dead in the grave
Christ Revealed:Through Job's sorrowful condition (Job 7:1-6). Christ was known as a Man of sorrows . . . acquainted with grief (Is. 53:3). On the cross, separated from God in His humanity, Jesus felt the pain of that separation as well as the pain and suffering for all the sins of mankind for all time (Mark 15:34).
Pray For Government Officials: Gov. Dan McKee (RI), Rep. Jason Smith (MO) • Country: St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha (7,776) South Atlantic Ocean • Major Language: English • Religious Freedom • Protestant (Anglican (majority); Baptist; Seventh-Day Adventist); Roman Catholic • Prayer Suggestion: Pray and fast as you confess your sins and intercede for our nation (Neh. 1:4-6).
Optional Readings:Galatians 5.