Job is starting to feel the heat and pressure from his friends. Bildad in Chapter 18 attacks Job for either being at a loss for words, or having a "stupid day". Not only that, he tends to imply again that everything that has happened to Job is Job's fault. Like "bad things happen to bad people, so get over it!"<\/p>\n
Bildad's words sound so much like what we so often hear from our friends and relatives when our lives are going down the tube (or we hear other people treated like this). Many are quick to point out our shortcomings – places or times when we could have done something different or better. All the while, they demonstrate a good sense of "hitting while you're down."<\/p>\n
It's as though this friend wants to say, again, "you get what you give." Or as many remember,[more] "you reap what you sow." That phrase in itself is another story, because it does have some truth. But when you or I apply it to a friend in need or in crisis, without any understanding of what really happened, we fail our friend.<\/p>\n
Job makes sure Bildad knows he is barking up the wrong tree. His retort is "How long will you put me down and make me feel worse." It should have been easy for Bildad and Job's other friends to see the pain and anguish he was suffering. Then again, why would they. Nothing had happened to them, so surely "you must have done it to yourself."<\/p>\n
The words must have resounded in the place where they were meeting. The message kept repeating in Job's ears from his friends – "Nothing has happened to us, so you must have really screwed up." <\/p>\n
Job clearly defines that everything has fallen down around him – he sees and feels it. The reality of life is not a distant subject. He is crushed and tormented. His friends and relatives offer no heel+p, only accusation of how badly he has lived (or must have lived).<\/p>\n
But in the end of chapter 19, Job drives home his reason for holding on. He says "no matter how bad this is or gets to be, I will not forget that the one who has promised to redeem me is still in charge. Doesn't make any difference what happens to me, I will still see Him."<\/p>\n
What a sense of trust Job demonstrates. What a lesson Bildad gives us in how not<\/em> to help our friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Job is starting to feel the heat and pressure from his friends. Bildad in Chapter 18 attacks Job for either being at a loss for words, or having a "stupid day". Not only that, he tends to imply again that…
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