Sticks and Stones…

“Then Job answered and said, How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words.”  Job 19:1

People say, “Ahh, they’re just words”, but words have meanings, and the meanings behind those words express a person’s attitude.  Take Job, for example.  He had lost everything but his life.  Satan wanted to use Job as a “test case” because Satan thought he could prove to God that Job, a godly man and one highly blessed in family, land, and material wealth, would turn against his Creator if bad things began to happen to him.  God agreed to let Satan bring catastrophe upon Job and his family.   Satan was certain that Job would curse God to His face if everything was taken away from him.  He lost his grown children when a tornado-like wind blew down the house that they were in, and everyone of them was killed.  Job also lost all of his livestock.  The only thing he had left was his wife who was of no help whatsoever.  She told Job to curse God and die, not very encouraging words.

As Job sat mourning his losses, three of his so-called friends came to comfort him with their words, except that their words were of no comfort at all.  They began, though, in a sympathetic frame of mind, seeing that Job was deeply grieving.  They just sat down with him for seven days and remained absolutely quiet.  (Sometimes, the best comfort that one can give another who is grieving is to just be there for them.  Sometimes no words are better than well meaning, yet insensitive sentiments.  Never tell someone you know how they feel if you have never been through a similar experience.)

After the seven days had passed, the three friends just couldn’t remain silent any longer.  They just had to get their two-cents’ worth in.  You know the type–folks that just have to say something whether it helps or not.  What his friends said was not only not helpful, it was hurtful, although they likely didn’t mean to intensify his grief.  They accused Job of committing sins that were responsible for his very painful and distressing troubles, that is, kicking him when he was down.  It is true that everyone, except for Jesus Christ, was and is a sinner.  So, of course, Job had sinned in his life, but so had his friends.  The people in ancient times believed that if bad things happened to someone, it was assumed that they had done something to deserve it.  Likewise, if good things happened to someone, it was because God was pleased with them and was blessing them.  But we know that bad things happen to good folks, and good things happen to bad folks.

The accusations and hurtful words of Job’s friends only served to deepen his grief.  They had set themselves up as judge and jury over his case.  We tend to do that ourselves.  One of the worst attitudes that we can have is a judgmental attitude over the predicaments of others.  We say things that we shouldn’t say.  Our words hurt others.  How many times have we made a remark and then immediately wished we had kept our mouths shut?  What better way could Job’s friends have served him in his time of grief and woe?  They should have remained silent and let God do all the talking!