Our Family Table, Day 4
4 January 2024
Reading from Job 1-5
“When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”
Job 2:11-14
Job was wealthy in health and material possessions and he was also spiritually wealthy in terms of his faith, family and obedience to God. Satan believed that if God allowed him to take everything away from Job, he would curse God and sin. Even after losing all of his beloved children, his extensive riches, was tormented by a horrific skin disease, and lost the spiritual support of his wife, Job remained faithful to God in spite of his terrible suffering. Several key points stand out to me about the initial response of Job’s friends to the agony of their friend.
- They met with each other and made a plan to try to help him. In this cruel world we live in, the thoughtfulness of one friend sharing kindness with another by visiting them means so much. Imagine the positive impact it would have if a group of companions came together and made a plan to show love to their mutual friend? The psalmist said, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”[1]
- They were genuinely grieved when they saw Job’s condition. Many people exhibit superficial emotion and the depth of their care is surface at best. Someone, especially a man, who will “weep aloud” when his friend is in anguish is a rare find. The Apostle Paul tells us to, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.”[2]
- They did not immediately tell Job what to do or tell him how he ought to feel. Job’s friends simply sat with him. On the ground. For an entire week. That’s love. There are times when we just need to be. There is great comfort and strength found in being together in unity and love. Part of loving someone is the ability to enjoy being with them even without talking.
When a loved one is grieving or struggling in any way, I need to be “quick to listen and slow to speak.”[3] Well-meaning advice can be helpful, but a heart deep in sorrow may need to be comforted simply with the close presence of one who genuinely cares. Words can come later. What is needed at first is just to be, then to listen, then to ponder, then to pray, and then to speak. There is a time for everything. Yes, I need to ask God for the words to say to others, but I also need to be sensitive to the tender guidance of the Holy Spirit as to when to be silent.
“Heavenly Father, grant me Your wisdom when those around me need to be comforted. I pray that You will show me how to be a patient listener. Many times I listen only to seek a break in conversation to give my own two cents. Help me to slow down, truly think about what others say, and then thoughtfully and prayerfully respond in love. Amen.”
3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
[1] Psalm 133:1
[2] Romans 12:15-16a
[3] James 1:19
Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God 
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