Homework Reading assignment due by October 5 - Job 17, 18, 19.
Wow, what a rousing night we had in our second week of studying the Book of Job. We took a deep dive into the book of Job tonight. We zeroed in on the first conversation between Eliphaz and Job. Eliphaz wants Job to be patient while Job wants to know how long he should be patient. (Jb. 4-5) Next, we talked about Job's understanding of God when compared to Psalm 8. We reviewed Bildad's conversation with Job (Jb. 8-9). We also looked at ways to be good comforters.
Here is a list of good practices when being good comforters:
Good comforters:
1. Make sure you know your skill sets. You are not the best person for every situation.
2. Make sure you are physically and spiritually ready to give comfort. Rest is essential.
3. Make sure you have the time. You cannot be in a hurry.
4. Make sure you are ready to listen. Don't anticipate the answer. Some thoughts require no explanation. Silence is golden.
5. Make sure that you can do the follow-up.
Would you please press the comment box in this post and add some words of wisdom that make for a good comforter?
The dictionary defines comfort as "state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint" and "the easing or alleviation of a person's feeling of grief or distress" (Oxford). If that is their explanation, nothing said to Job was going to change his (or my friend's) predicament. Bildad was supposedly operating from a position of wisdom - so much for wisdom...
Is comfort or accompaniment more a appropriate posture? I agree with the comfort responses presented by my fellow Biblical travelers. The reflection presented today by Dynamic Catholic suggested that an action or deed done without love counted for nothing. I'm still processing/pondering some things in my head as you can tell.
Some suggestions presented on line for words (when needed) that I find complementary are "I care about you" or "You are important to me". As we have heard often, do all things in love.