Job

In these days I'm reading Job and this is what really took my attention today. Months ago I realized that sometimes when people came to me and said something I had to answer them. There's nothing bad about that - unless you've really got something to say. Along the way I've learnt that sometimes the person doesn't need to hear anything. Sometimes people just need to talk to somebody and we're suppose to listen to them. Be there for them in the hard times. But if we do have something to say we should do so. But not always we have the right things to say. And that's what I see in Job's story. Three friends came and sat down with him in silence for seven days and seven nights (Job 3:13). Then the time came when they we're suppose to say something. But what they were saying was not really accurate. Neither they nor Job were able to see the big picture that we can see when we read first two chapters of Job. Job is pretty sure that he did not sin against the LORD but the friends try to convince him to repent of his sins. But there aren't sins that Job needs to repent of (not that he's sinless - it's just he's righteous before the LORD). And hearing the three friends saying all these things drives Job crazy and so he says:

Then Job answered and said: How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled him who has no wisdom,and plentifully declared sound knowledge! With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you? (Job 26:1-4)

Do you feel that sense of irony? Why does Job say this to his friends? Cause all together they did not say anything. They weren't really listening to Job and the help they offered (rebuking and false accusing) weren't any help to Job. He needed something else. He was a broken man that did not understand why he had to suffer so much. And even though the words that his friends said were biblical truths they were worthless because they were not said at the right place, at the right time and in the right situation. Maybe it would be better if they rather were silent for more then seven days instead of saying all these things. So when we're not sure what to say remember: sometimes it's better to say nothing than to say something.