Job - Part 2

Couple of days ago I wrote about Job. About the way how we sometimes “counsel” people. That sometimes it happens that what we say actually doesn’t help at all because the words we say may have nothing to do with the situation of the person. Sometimes we just miss the words that the person needs to hear. But what if we have words that are not easy to take? What should we do then? Not to say them, so we won’t hurt the person even more? Well, I found the answer to this question in Job as well.

We see after this very “helpful” speech of the three friends comes a man called Elihu. And the message and the way he brings this message is set as an example for us to learn from. Right at the beginning he makes clear that . He doesn’t want to please people. Whatever he says is just because it’s what God wants him to say. After making this clear he moves on to Job and he says:

“But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
Behold, I open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.
Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of o clay.
Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy upon you.
(Job 33:1-7)

Elihu makes very clear that he is just as Job is. That he too “was pinched off from a piece of o clay”. He says that it’s not Elihu whom should Job be afraid of – it’s the LORD. And what I feel when Elihu speaks to Job is compassion over Job. He knows and feels Job’s pain and suffering and knows that it’s not easy. And even though the message he brings might be hard he tells Job not to be afraid. Why? Because even though God tells us sometimes things that are not easy to take He doesn’t do so to hurt us (though it might happen as we're facing who we really are) but His ultimate way is to restore us! And unfortunately the process of healing many times requires some pain. But at the end we’ll see that it was worth it! In one of my favorite song the final lyrics go like this: The end will justify the pain it took to get us there. It is worth it, even though it’s not easy.