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Day 16 – Encouragement Job 16 When someone is unkind and says things about you that aren’t true, how do you react? Do you pay them back the same as they did to you, or do you treat them with kindness and respect because that is how you would like to be treated? Job heard words from his friends that did not lift him up but rather put him in the dust. If they were to be believed, Job would be a very bad person not worthy of God’s favor or justice. However, Job prayed daily for his children, strengthened those who needed strengthening, gave words of encouragement everywhere he went. However, when the chips were down for him, his friends did not do the same for him. They did not comfort him, but tried to destroy his spirit. He told his friends: Job 16:3 Shall vain words have an end? Or what emboldens thee that thou answer? 4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. 5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief. When we have trouble in our lives, we want people to comfort and lift us up, not tell us we are getting what is coming to us, which was essentially what Job’s friends told him. As Christians we are told to strengthen those who are week, comfort those who grieve, and show mercy to everyone. Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. We are not to tear each other down, but lift them up. Job’s friends did not lift him up, but did everything they could to show him the error of his ways. We will all go through trouble. Satan will see to that. It is how we handle that trouble, and how we treat each other that will show whether we are giving in to Satan’s schemes against us, or overcoming and trusting God to see us through. Job trusted God to see him through. He didn’t know why God brought trouble upon him, but he continued to trust God. Job 16:17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. (KJV) Only we know whether we are guilty or innocent of anything people say against us. When we put our trust in God, he will bring us through. Let’s pray: Father, let me encourage those who need your encouragement. Help me lift up those who have no strength for their journey through life, and let me show them your love and mercy. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 5 March 2016 by Valerie Jean Routhieaux All scripture is King James Version, edited by me into common English. Image courtesy of Pixabay