“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,” Job 4:1
As we saw yesterday, Job’s Losses were Immense! More than we can ever imagine. Then, to add Insult to Injury, he is afflicted with Sore Boils “from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head”. As his wife views him and considers his pain, she suggests that he “Curse God and die!” Well,…word gets around and we soon read that “when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place”. You’ve probably heard the Old Proverb, “Misery loves Company”. In Job’s case, this was not true!
For 7 days, Job’s 3 friends sat silent with him to sympathize and grieve. We’re told that when they saw him “and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept.” Finally, Job speaks, pouring out his heart and cursing the day of his birth! And,…rather than continue in silence and praying for their friend, we have Today’s Verse! They would have done well to heed Solomon’s words about a “time to be silent”!
Each of us knows the ease of giving others counsel, but, the difficulty in hearing it. When our Faith is being stretched and refined, there is usually nothing anyone can say, or do, that will help. Better to put our hands on our mouths and be Quiet! That’s not to say there isn’t a time when a “Choice Word spoken in Season” is appropriate; it’s just that we find too many Seasons to do so! May God give us silent mouths and praying hearts.