Job 1 – 3
❇️ Book of Job is a lesson on suffering whose Author is God himself who allows suffering to test us, to discipline us, to perfect us, to change our perspective etc.

❇️ In case of Job, God allowed suffering for yet another reason i.e. to flaunt us as his trophies (Job 1: 8) for he displays his splendor in us (Isa.60: 21)

❇️ Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad & Zophar approach to his misery was right by being empathetic initially by silently sitting with him for a full week. But when Job started expressing his anguish and frustration they took on the role of advisors which was not right.

❇️ The right approach would have been to acknowledge his misery and reflecting it back by verbalizing his condition which would have made Job see his friends as being sensitive to his condition.

❇️ Though their intention was good but their contention was wrong which is seen in Eliphaz advice that the piety of Job be his confidence and his blameless be his hope . But the word of God says that Lord is our confidence ( Pro.3: 26) and his unfailing love is our hope (Ps.33: 18)

❇️ Whenever we try to comfort people in suffering let us use the right approach . They will be better off with our word of God approach rather than our own advisory approach.We need to be both sensitive and sensible in our words to show we are with them in their suffering while comforting them.

✅ Insights learnt:
▪️ What God does not protect us from, he perfects us through
▪️Sensitive & sensible words are to be used while comforting

Dr.E.Christadoss
Vellore 🙏🏽