Job

I have been in a drought with posting on this blog. I have even felt guilty for not writing, but I have been determined not to force myself to write. Even if there is no one out there reading this I need to write for myself—for broadening my heart and my mind.

I compose a lot of blogs that don’t make it onto the computer screen—most of them while working outside on the farm, in the shower or driving. Even though they don’t make it to a written state, they are still good for the stretching I need.

In Sunday School class we have been studying Job. I wasn’t really looking forward to this study but I have surprisingly enjoyed it. I have learned a lot of good lessons from studying Job.

Right off the bat we find that when someone experiences tragedy, sometimes the best thing we can do is just to be present. Job’s three friends responded. They came to minister to Job. We learn from them that it is not necessary to say a lot, but being there for a loved one or friend is very important. Some of the best bonding that I have had with some friends was when I was just there for them during a crisis. I did not really DO much at all. I was just there. Some of the biggest mistakes that I have made were when I decided not to be there for someone because I was too busy or I did not think it was important.

Another lesson learned is that I can talk too much. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did well with their first assignment to just be there, but then, later in the story, they talked too much. I mean after you tell a guy what a horrible person he is for hiding sin that he knows he did not commit, and you keep sending the same message over and over---that’s an overload.

Have you ever talked about something—or someone—so much that you suddenly realized that you have over talked? Been there and it is hard to get out gracefully.

Finally, Job’s three friends spoke with authority, but they were not always speaking the truth. They falsely accused Job. Ordinarily I am bold in talking with people, and I don’t mind confrontation if it is healthy and helps both parties to grow.  But I couldn’t have done what E, B and Z did. They left themselves wide open for rebuttals from Job because he knew that they were not telling the truth. They spoke with authority, but not truth. Proverbs 12:17 states, “Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.”

I think that E, B and Z may have needed a dose of our New Testament teaching in Matthew 7:1-5 about criticizing others while not examining our own lives. E, B and Z should have been concerned about calling attention to their friend’s sins when they may not have had their own heart right with the Lord. Amazing how easy it is to see other people’s faults!