Job Chapter 4. Comforter or Accuser?
Eliphaz was a great support to Job while he sat with him for days in silence. But Eliphaz could not keep quiet and felt very compelled to speak to Job. He says to Job you are discouraged and can't figure out why you are suffering so much. Eliphaz felt the answer was obvious because he feels Job is living in sin. He tells Job that trouble comes from God to those who are living in sin or evil.
Eliphaz goes from being a great supporter to an accuser and judge.
1. I have found for me it's easy to be an encourager and comforter but I have to be cautious. If I'm being a comfort or an encourager towards an individual and someone tells me a negative rumor about that person, then I find it easy to change my heart and attitude from comforter to accuser and judge. I'll do this without even hearing the accused side of the story.
2. Or if there is a conflict between two people and I only hear the side of one person, it's easy to draw all kinds of terrible conclusions about the other person. It's easy to become an accuser and judge towards the other person. I'll build a whole series of steps to follow in my head without having heard the other side of the person's story.
Let's be careful what conclusions we draw less we to go from a comforter to an accuser and judge without just cause.
I love how Jesus handled a situation where there were a group of accusers who were all ready to kill the one that they were accusing. May our words be used to encourage, help and care and not used to accuse, hurt or condemn.
I was reminded of this passage today from John 8:3-11.
The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to Him (Jesus), “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” This they said to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”