While studying the book of Job, I found myself sympathizing with Job’s
friends. I mean, who of us when seeing a
friend suffer what would seem like judgment at his own hands could stick
around, remain silent and resist the temptation to rebuke? As a pastor-shepherd whose job it is to sometimes
help people grow even with a heart-stabbing remark, I sympathize with Job’s
friends.
After exchanging insults and "your mamma" jabs, I can see how frustrating it would would have gotten being called Job's Friend.
But Job
shouted something at me in chapter 21, verse 2. “Listen, carefully!” he yelled.
In pain
Job cries, “Listen carefully!” to spiritually and emotionally deaf friends and
neighbors. “I’m hurting and you are not
helping.”
I have
to admit that I struggle with the gift of discerning between the right words and
the wrong ones; between when to say them and when to shut up. In the moment of a friend’s pain, as in Job’s
case, may I truly hear his heart – may I resist the temptation to be “right” –
may I offer my silent friendship that would shout a response to his deafening
cry, “I love you, and am here for you.”
Instead
of being deaf to a friend’s cry for help, I wonder if we should ignore the
accusations. After all, isn't that what
Jesus does for us?
