A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver – Proverbs 25:11 NKJV
Many will be familiar with the biblical story of Job. How he suffered such a devastating loss of his children, business, servants and his health all within a very short space of time.
Job’s friends did well to travel long distances to comfort and commiserate with him in his grief and pain. From a distance as they approached him, they probably didn’t recognise him, they must have been stunned by what they saw. Nothing would have prepared them for what they saw, seeing the state or condition Job was in with his boil ravaged body.
“And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.” Job 2:12-13 (NKJV)
They sat down with him on the ground in silence for seven days and seven nights and then, they opened their mouths!
Immediately they opened their mouth, grace, tact and compassion disappeared. Their supposed or intended words of encouragement was largely wrong assumptions about Job. Eliphaz made a comment saying: “My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.” Job 4:8 (NLT)
They thought they knew the mind of God well enough to conclude that Job must have been guilty of some sin, error or wrongdoing. They suspected his troubles were judgment for some iniquity or unrighteousness in his life, which they thought he cleverly masked or covered under his public display of godliness.
Human suffering is not always a sign of God’s judgement. God will sometimes use adversity to showcase His power. “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. ‘Rabbi,’ his disciples asked him, ‘why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?’ ‘It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,’ Jesus answered. ‘This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.’” John 9:1-3 (NLT)
Life has dealt heavy blows to many people, and many have been seriously wounded by what life had dealt them.
Whether it’s a failed marriage or relationship. A messy and painful divorce. A costly legal battle. Bitter family feuds. The loss of a pregnancy. A sickness resulting in some form of disability. A failed business. A victim of someone else’s mistake. Death of a loved one. A failed ministry. We can confidently say that during one’s journey here on earth, life may not be very kind to many.
Many today, unfortunately, still carry around the scars and memory of the wound of what life dealt them, with their confidence and belief system seriously shattered.
The words we speak really matter.
We will talk more about this in the next blog.
Merry Christmas and stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 