Thursday, August 28, 2008

Friendship in the OT

I ran across a great example of friendship in all places, the Book of Job. What really spoke to be in Job 2: 11-13 was how Job's friends responded to him losing everything he had and then being attacked with boils from head to toe. What did they say or do? You see, three of his friends came to comfort him and when they arrived they sat down by him for support for seven days/nights and didn't even say a word to him, because they realized Job's suffering couldn't be put into words! Or in my interpretation, they didn't want to diminish or down play Job's pain and suffering by their simple words. What is amazing to me is that they didn't say what they thought Job wanted to hear, as I have to admit that is something that I often do. They also didn't respond the way so many Christians today do by saying in trying to help others in pain: "God with use this to make you stronger", "God will get you through this". Don't get me wrong, these examples may be true but I believe that sometimes the most loving thing we can say at that moment and what many people need to hear is "I am really sorry that happened", "I don't know want to say", "It is OK to be angry right now".

I long to have friends like Job did and even more importantly, I hope that someday I can be a friend like that........

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