Treat the Afflicted with Kindness…

Read: Job 6-9
Marked: Job 6:14, “To him who is afflicted, kindness [should be shown] by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.”

How do I treat the afflicted? It’s not even those who are sick in body. What about those who are sick mentally or spiritually?

Peter says I am to be ready to give an reason for the Hope I have and to do so with meekness and fear, or gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

I have no cause to be belligerent with anyone if I want to reach them with the gospel, especially those who do not know the Lord.

I shouldn’t be shocked by the sin that sinners commit. They do not know what they are doing. Only the light of the gospel will help lead them out of the darkness of sin.

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What Does Your Ear Receive?…

Read: Job 1-5
Marked: Job 4:12-15, “Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up.”

Eliphaz has come with his companions to bring comfort to Job. But the word he brings Job is a word of condemnation. Where did he get this word? He tells us in these verses.

It was a secret word. It was a whispered word. It was a disquieting word. It brought fear and trembling and made his bones shake. A spirit brought the word and the hair on his body stood up. Was this a word from God?

God does not speak in secret. His word is here for all to see. It is not whispered, but shouts loudly to all who will listen. It is not a disquieting word, but an uplifting word. While God’s word, at times, bring fear and trembling, His word is a word of truth and righteousness, not a word of condemnation.

The word the Holy Spirit brings is a word of comfort and love and grace and mercy. What a difference between the word of darkness and the word of light. God gives us a spirit of discernment to tell the difference.