The Life and Times of Joe Suttle

Job and his friends are at one another. They think that Job is spilling his guts in his speeches and Job, in effect calls them "Blow Hards."

It is interesting how what is recorded in chapters 15-17 sounds just like what you or I might hear from a friend who has gotten some advice from their friends (definitely not us!).

In these chapters, they start their second round of "advice and counsel", but almost immediately they butt heads. Eliphaz begins by saying Job is a "blow hard". Though those are not the exact words, the implication is in the very direct qwuestion – "does a wise person talk with windy knowledge and get all puffed up?" (my translation) If you don't like it, you read chapter 15, verses 2 and 3.[more]

Some people like the words in verse 6 where Eliphaz says "Your own mouth condemns you," but they forget that that does not help the situation. If you have ever been cornered and questioned by your friends about some of your actions, haven't they said the same thing to you. Why is it that when we are in trouble or have done wrong, our mouths keep running? Sometimes we need to come to a full stop.

What also comes to mind is that saying "Engage brain before starting mouth."

Job jabs back though in chapter 16 when he calls his friends "Sorry comforters." Imagine yourself going to comfort a friend and getting slammed for what you were doing. Perhaps is was because Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar forgot some rules of a friend who comes to help:
[html]<ol><li>Don't talk just to talk</li><li>Don't give pat answers</li><li>Avoid being accusatory or critical</li><li>Imagine you are the person you are comforting</li><li>Be helpful and encouraging</loi></ol>[/html]
Job gives the counsel to his counselors "I could give strength with my mouth, and the balm of my lips could ease your pain." What role do we play in the pain of our friends and family? Healing or hurt? Building or destruction?

After a lot of years, I got to thinking about Job again. What I remembered about those long ago studies is still true, but there are other things that strike me.

This would make the perfect opera. Don't think that it would work as a stage play or musical. There isn't enough action and mystery for a movie – even if Disney or Spielberg got their hands around it.

I can see the big chorus off to one side to echo what Job and his friends are saying or singing to one another. Once, this was seen as simply Job, three friends and a kid (young man). But, there is so much more. There are moving scenes where his friends accuse him [more]of having done something wrong, and he needs to "fess up."

Then there is Job telling them he hasn't done anything wrong – he's "a good man. Why is this happening to me." His friend Bildad challenges him to stop running off at the mouth and check it out with God.

Job responds with a list of reasons for not arguing with God. Major reasons are "His wisdom is profound, His power is vast." But the cap is when Job says "Who has resisted (argued with) Him and come out unscathed?" If you have the time, read Job chapter 9 and see how Job has recognized the futility of man trying to win a fight with God.

Though Job was challenged to fight with God, his response to his friends is an explanation of Job's recognition of the awesomeness of the very God he worships. Job's response is respect for his God. What would ours be if all we had was destroyed and our bodies in major pain?

The story continues…