My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. Job 20:2, NIV

 

When you consider that our verse today is taken from the oldest book in the Bible, wasn’t Solomon right when he observed, “that there is nothing new under the sun”? (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

 

Yesterday, as we reflected on the depth of suffering in the book of Job, didn’t we feel ‘troubled’ by Job’s experiences, especially as we confronted the endless nature of his suffering as he endured pain upon pain, in God’s apparent absence? We’ve all felt the pain and loneliness of loss, and of not understanding why.

 

Job needed time to come to terms with his grief and loss, and the ear of a compassionate soul when he needed to speak; someone who cared and would be a comfort to a bereft man covered in painful sores, living a bleak life with a callous wife.

 

Alienated from a life that was once full, Job would certainly agree with Mother Teresa’s view that, “Loneliness and the feeling of being uncared for and unwanted are the greatest poverty.” Job’s experiences had left him impoverished and in need of hope. Hope appeared in the form of his three friends who’d “met together by agreement to go and sympathise with him and comfort him.” (Job 2:11)

 

They were horrified by what had happened to their friend, hardly recognising him at first, but patiently and silently, they sat with him, “for seven days and seven nights” (Job 2:13) respecting Job’s need for peace to work through his grief and loss; and, keeping him company.

 

Finally, Job spoke; and pouring out his anguished thoughts, released each man’s verdict of him. Gone was their empathy, Job’s needs forgotten, as each friend, without reflection, pronounced his ready judgement on Job’s suffering, further alienating him, and increasing his sorrow as they decided that he was to blame – as a direct result of his sin – and that he needed to repent for God to restore him.

 

Eliphaz tells him, “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so, do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17) Bildad insults him with “Your words are a blustering wind …” and then, cruelly, “When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.” (Job 8:2b,4) Lastly, Zophar’s words added to the attack: “Oh how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom …” (Job:11 5-6a)

 

What about us?

 

What are our words to a friend in need? Do we help others with our words and actions, prompted by love after mindful self-reflection, or do “[our] troubled thoughts prompt [us] to answer because [we are] greatly disturbed” like Zophar? We need to ask God for help and divine insight because we don’t have all the answers.

 

Prayer: Father God, thank you for what You show us of ourselves through Job and his friends, and for what You teach us through them. Help me to respond with compassion to others in need, not motivated by my own anxiety, but in the power of the wisdom, You give, which will lighten their mind and bring joy to their heart. Amen

 

 

Neem 'n mens in ag dat vandag se teksvers kom uit wat baie geleerdes as die oudste boek in die Bybel beskou, was Salomo seker reg toe hy gesê het: "Daar is niks nuuts in hierdie wêreld nie." (Prediker 1:9b)

 

Gister, toe ons oor die diepte van lyding in die boek Job nagedink het, het al Job se rampe en lyding, veral die eindelose aard daarvan,en al die pyn wat hy in die oënskynlike afwesigheid van God moes verduur, 'n mens werklik ontstel. Ons almal het al die pyn en verlatenheid van verlies beleef, en dan sonder om te verstaan hoekom.

 

Job het tyd benodig om sy hartseer en verlies te verwerk, asook die oor van 'n deernisvolle persoon wanneer hy nodig gehad het om te praat, iemand wat omgee en hom – 'n bedroefde man oordek met pynlike sere wat 'n somber lewe met 'n gevoellose vrou gelei het – sou vertroos.

 

Job, vervreemd van 'n lewe wat eens vol was, sou sekerlik met Moeder Teresa saamstem toe sy gesê het: "Eensaamheid en die gevoel dat mense nie vir jou omgee nie en jou verwerp, is die grootste armoede." Job se ervarings het hom verarm en met 'n behoefte aan hoop gelaat. Hoop het gekom in die vorm van sy drie vriende wat "afgespreek [het] om deelneming met hom te betuig en hom te troos." (Job 2:11)

 

Hulle was geskok oor wat met hulle vriend gebeur het, hom amper eers nie herken nie, maar hulle het geduldig en sonder woorde vir "sewe dae en sewe nagte lank" (Job 2:13) by hom gesit. Hulle het Job se behoefte aan vrede en om sy hartseer en verlies te verwerk, gerespekteer en hulle was net daar vir hom.

 

Uiteindelik het Job gepraat en sy beangste hart uitgestort, wat toe aanleiding gegee het dat die mans hom veroordeel het. Weg was hulle empatie, sy behoeftes vergete, en elkeen van die vriende het sonder nadenke 'n uitspraak oor Job se lyding gelewer. Dit het hom verder vervreem en sy lyding vererger aangesien hulle besluit het hy was te blameer – 'n direkte gevolg van sy sonde – en hy moet sy sonde bely sodat God hom kan herstel.

 

Elifas sê vir hom: “Dit gaan goed met die mens wat deur God tereggewys word. Jy moet nie die bestraffing van die Almagtige verontagsaam nie." (Job 5:17) Bildad beledig hom deur te sê: "Die woorde van jou mond is bloot 'n groot klomp wind" en dan voeg hy wreed by: "As jou kinders teen Hom gesondig het, het Hy hulle aan hulle oortreding oorgelaat." (Job 8:2b,4, 2020-vertaling) Laastens tree Sofar toe en sê: "As God maar wou begin praat en jou wou weerspreek, jou wou vertel hoe ingewikkeld die wysheid is ..." (Job 11:5-6a)

 

Wat doen ons?

 

Wat sê ons vir 'n vriend in nood? Help ons ander deur woorde en dade gedring deur liefde, en nadat ons daaroor nagedink het, of "[dwing] ontsteltenis [ons] om te antwoord, maak [dit ons] haastig om te praat", soos Sofar? Ons moet die Here vra vir hulp en insig, want ons het nie al die antwoorde nie.

 

Gebed: Hemelse Vader, dankie vir dit wat U ons deur Job en sy vriende van onsself wys en leer. Help my om met deernis te reageer op ander in nood, nie gemotiveer deur my eie angs nie, maar in die krag en wysheid wat U gee en wat hulle harte en verstand sal verlig en blydskap sal bring. Amen