July 28
2018
Called to be Comfortors
So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. Job 2:13
Then Job answered and said: “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all! Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak as you do,
If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you; but I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.” Job 16:1-5
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15
We are called to be comforters; to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. We are not called to give empty words or shake our heads at the situations of others.
Job’s friends did best when they sat with him 7 days and didn’t speak.
Once they opened their mouths, Job described their words as “words of wind” and suggested that their words were like the shaking of their heads against him.
Job reminded them that if they were in his situation, the words of his lips would “relieve your grief”. Obviously that wasn’t the situation he found himself Him.
There is power in our words – words bring both life and death.
We must be very careful when comforting those around us that we speak only life and comfort, not death and judgement.
Consider carefully how you would want your grief to be relieved by those around you and then respond in kind to those who find themselves in those situations.
If you can be nothing else, be kind.