Now my Eyes have seen You
Images of creation and evil in the book of Job
by Robert S. Fyall
It turned out, this is book is beyond me at this point of time. I realised I need to be quite familiar with the book of Job before even attempting it. To start it off, I am having problems with Job itself, which is why my interest in getting books about the book. Maybe this is not the one to start with. I have read about half the book. For the rest of it, I only managed to scan through. So, I consider myself done with it, for now, until I have a better grasp of Job.
What's amazing with Job is that when I first read it, I could not understand why the respond from the four friends were not accepted. To me, they make sense. It soon occurred to me that, what make sense may not be right. We may think we know, but in fact, we don't.
For example, in a recent event, someone said something I had problems with. It makes sense but if you think about it, it does not. The person said that if in a group of 10, 9 of them are happy and 1 is not, something is wrong with the one. On the other hand, if 9 of them are not happy and 1 is, something is still wrong with the one. I am not sure what it was based on, I simply feel it is not right. Because there is equal possibility that something is wrong with the 9 and not the 1.
In the same way I think it applies to Job's friends. They did not know why Job suffered and rather than lovingly attending to him, they accused him of a lot of things. And in the same way, we too need to be mindful of the "advice" or "help" we offer to those who are suffering. Sometimes, it would be best to just be with them - offering them our presence and heart rather than our words. Job's friends could have done better if they continued in their initial silent wait with Job as he struggled to understand his calamities.
pearlie
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
My eyes have not seen it, yet
I have blogged several days ago about the books I want to read. Of the six books I picked up, I started with this one:
Now my Eyes have seen You
Images of creation and evil in the book of Job
by Robert S. Fyall
It turned out, this is book is beyond me at this point of time. I realised I need to be quite familiar with the book of Job before even attempting it. To start it off, I am having problems with Job itself, which is why my interest in getting books about the book. Maybe this is not the one to start with. I have read about half the book. For the rest of it, I only managed to scan through. So, I consider myself done with it, for now, until I have a better grasp of Job.
What's amazing with Job is that when I first read it, I could not understand why the respond from the four friends were not accepted. To me, they make sense. It soon occurred to me that, what make sense may not be right. We may think we know, but in fact, we don't.
For example, in a recent event, someone said something I had problems with. It makes sense but if you think about it, it does not. The person said that if in a group of 10, 9 of them are happy and 1 is not, something is wrong with the one. On the other hand, if 9 of them are not happy and 1 is, something is still wrong with the one. I am not sure what it was based on, I simply feel it is not right. Because there is equal possibility that something is wrong with the 9 and not the 1.
In the same way I think it applies to Job's friends. They did not know why Job suffered and rather than lovingly attending to him, they accused him of a lot of things. And in the same way, we too need to be mindful of the "advice" or "help" we offer to those who are suffering. Sometimes, it would be best to just be with them - offering them our presence and heart rather than our words. Job's friends could have done better if they continued in their initial silent wait with Job as he struggled to understand his calamities.
pearlie
Now my Eyes have seen You
Images of creation and evil in the book of Job
by Robert S. Fyall
It turned out, this is book is beyond me at this point of time. I realised I need to be quite familiar with the book of Job before even attempting it. To start it off, I am having problems with Job itself, which is why my interest in getting books about the book. Maybe this is not the one to start with. I have read about half the book. For the rest of it, I only managed to scan through. So, I consider myself done with it, for now, until I have a better grasp of Job.
What's amazing with Job is that when I first read it, I could not understand why the respond from the four friends were not accepted. To me, they make sense. It soon occurred to me that, what make sense may not be right. We may think we know, but in fact, we don't.
For example, in a recent event, someone said something I had problems with. It makes sense but if you think about it, it does not. The person said that if in a group of 10, 9 of them are happy and 1 is not, something is wrong with the one. On the other hand, if 9 of them are not happy and 1 is, something is still wrong with the one. I am not sure what it was based on, I simply feel it is not right. Because there is equal possibility that something is wrong with the 9 and not the 1.
In the same way I think it applies to Job's friends. They did not know why Job suffered and rather than lovingly attending to him, they accused him of a lot of things. And in the same way, we too need to be mindful of the "advice" or "help" we offer to those who are suffering. Sometimes, it would be best to just be with them - offering them our presence and heart rather than our words. Job's friends could have done better if they continued in their initial silent wait with Job as he struggled to understand his calamities.
pearlie
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try the reb's Job Made Simple first!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I'll go grab my dad's copy!
ReplyDeleteUnless we have experienced what another is experiencing we can not understand but we can care and love and support them with that caring and concern by just being there, as you have so well said.
ReplyDeleteSusan
> Job's friends could have done better if they continued in their initial silent wait with Job as he struggled to understand his calamities.
ReplyDeleteYou pushed a little button here.
:-)
Job's friends' problem was not their opening of the mouth, but their lack of faith. Job had done nothing to lose their trust. He had been faithful to them through the years, and they had no reason to doubt him.
But they threw him to the wolves.
If they had trusted him, they could have said what was on their minds and it would have been a solace to Job. But since they figured he must be worse than they'd imagined, their silence would not have been any comfort to him.
Even when we can no longer maintain faith in a brother, we must continue to maintain faith in the Spirit within that brother. And if we believe that good thing that lives in him, then we can open our mouths with comfort.
May the Lord continue to bless you, Pearlie.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteYes, that is why God allow us to suffer ... ironical but Christ suffered the ultimate, and for us, what we suffer is nothing in comparison. What a wonderful God we serve.
Codepoke,
ReplyDeleteYou pushed a little button here.
That made me smile too =)
Thanks for your thoughts. I agree ... it is also a warning to us not to mistreat our brothers and sisters, because it is very easy to do so. Sometimes, things can be so "logical" it has to be, but it is not.
Even when we can no longer maintain faith in a brother, we must continue to maintain faith in the Spirit within that brother.
Yeah, but it is hard when we are so blinded by our prejudice, preconceptions and worse, prejudgment. We need to be very close to God, to be filled with the Spirit, to discern.
May the Lord continue to bless you too!