Lent #5 - Knowing when to speak and when to shut up!

One notices that after Job had lost everything, his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar went to comfort him. However, when they saw Job they hardly recognised him because of the stress and grief he had been through. In their wisdom they chose to sit on the floor with him and not to utter a single word. This they did for 7 days!

So, for one week they sat in the room with Job showing their solidarity with him and they never even tried to say anything. This is remarkable. There must have been some thoughts going through their minds, but the chose to keep quiet.

"No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was." - Job 2:13

Of course this didn't last into the second week, because they were soon sprouting forth their thoughts to him, but at least they didn't bombard him from the beginning. How often do we just need someone to sit with us, not to offer advice, but rather just to 'minister' to us through their presence?

James 1:19 - "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry..."

Living in Grace
D3LM3