Job 6:14
“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not abandon the fear of the Almighty.”
The last entry in Job had Eliphaz advising him. He was telling Job that if a person trusts God, then bad things won’t happen to him. We know that is not true. Job isn’t convinced that he has done wrong. In today’s passage Job tells Eliphaz that a good friend is encouraging. True. That doesn’t mean a friend can’t correct a friend. He should tread lightly.
Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, even if a person is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you are not tempted as well.” The one who is spiritual knows that they are capable of sinning, so they approach a brother in gentleness.
Job is upset by his friend’s correction. He tells him he should have been kind. It’s safe to assume he wasn’t. I would say that Eliphaz didn’t approach him in a spirit of gentleness. He implies that Job has sinned.
Job is coming from a difficult place, not a place of strength. It’s easy to criticize him. It seems like Eliphaz took a cheep shot. It stung Job. It’s going to get far worse. The friends will take turns attempting to correct Job. God finally steps in at the end and validates Job.
The take away is that we need to be careful when viewing others. We can be wrong. David shows us how to pray in Psalm 139: 23,24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” A sincere, honest prayer. On that same vein David says in Psalm 51:16, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
I have to be on guard, as I can lean towards being judgmental. A few days ago I was dwelling on some injustices done me years ago. However, I entered a circumstance this week in which God was moving past all that and was doing good things. I have to let those things go and pray in the direction God is going.
Be like David and know our capacity toward sin. Pray for mercy. Stop looking at the injustices done to us. Go the path of mercy and forgiveness. We’ve certainly received plenty of that from God. Lord, help us to be good friends