ChosenRebel's Blog

Most people are familiar with the story of Job. A godly-man, blessed by God with wealth and children and status in the community. Here is a brief survey of his character:

Job’s Compassion

4:3      Admonished many
            Strengthened weak hands
4:4      Helped the tottering to stand
            strengthened feeble knees
16:5    His words solaced those in pain
29:2    Delivered the poor (who cried out for help)
            Delivered the orphan (who had no helper)
29:13  Strengthened those about to perish
                    [from starving, perhaps suicidal?]
            Strengthened the widow’s heart
29:15  He was eyes to the blind
            He was feet for the lame
29:16  He was a father to the needy (cf. also 30:25)
29:17  He stood against the wicked seeking to exploit others
            He snatched the prey [the vulnerable and threatened] from the wicked

More on Job’s overall character from just the first 4 chapters.

1:1, 8; 2:3     Blameless
                       Upright
                       Fearing God
                       Turning away from evil
1:2,4              Managed family well
1:5                 Proactive spiritual leader of the family
3:1-26; 4:6   Honesty
4:3                 Admonished many  
4:3-4             Compassion  (16:5)                                                                                                                              

All of this means that . . .

He was a champion of the poor, the orphan and the widow, a strength to the feeble, weak and tottering.  He befriended not the strong or the powerful or the influential but weakest and helpless, the ones without advocate or resource.  He was a minister of mercy.  He gave generous amounts of time, money and effort to the care of the weakest and most draining members of the body.

He was a man admired as much for his virtues as for his riches by the people of his time. He was a generous and compassionate defender of the poor and a friend to all, until, he got caught in the cross-hairs of a battle between Satan and Yahweh. Then the real drama begins.

To make a short story shorter, he loses everything, his wealth, his children, his status, his health. In the history of suffering, his loses make everyone else’s suffering, significant as they may be, pale into weightlessness in comparison. Three friends show up to mourn with him. Maybe he hasn’t lost everything. He has three friends. They listen and mourn with him for seven days and nights, and they kept their mouths shut the whole time (Job 2:13). But when they open their mouths, they undo all the good of their presence in the midst of Job’s suffering. 

Chapter after chapter, they give BAD THEOLOGY to Job that does little more than rub salt into his wounds and it raises the question for the reader, (or at least this reader),

“What did Job need from his friends?” 

I think I found it chapter 6:

“For the despairing man there should be kindness
from his friend;
So that he does not abandon the fear of the Almighty. 

Job 6:14
NASB95

It is that kind of kindness, that we are seeking to give pastors, missionaries and other Christian leaders as we care for them in the midst of their own crisis, hurts, pains and sorrows in ministry. We want to be the friend that brings “kindness” into their suffering. We want to help them not give up on either God or the ministry to which God has called them. Please keep us in prayer as we try to finish the year well for the glory of Christ. Currently, we are caring for over 30 different pastoral leaders.