Imitate Jehovah's Humility - JEHOVAH IS APPROACHABLE

 Proud people are not usually approachable. Their inflated egos cause them to act in ways that make others hesitate to go to them or cause others to avoid altogether. How different Jehovah is! Because our heavenly Father is humble, he invites us to approach him and tell him about the things that are weighing on our mind and heart. (Read Psalm 62:8.) Just as a caring father readily listens to his children's concerns, Jehovah welcomes and listens to the prayers of his worshippers. In fact, he had many of these prayers recorded in the Bibe. That shows how approachable he is. (Joshua 10:12-14; 1 Samuel 1:10-18) But what if for some reason we at times feel unworthy to approach Jehovah?

We can approach Jehovah in prayer even if we feel unworthy of his love. Why can we say that. In Jesus' parable of the lost son, he likened Jehovah to be a tenderhearted father whose repentant son felt unworthy of being accepted back into the family. How did the father react when his son returned home? Jesus said that as soon as the father caught sight of his son, the father "ran and embraced him and tenderly kissed him." (Luke 15:17-20) Jehovah is like that father. As soon as he hears the prayer of individuals whose hearts are broken ad crushed by the burden of guilt or worry, his humility moves him to give them his full attention. (Lamentations 3:19, 20) Jehovah is moved with compassion, and he runs to them, as it were, to comfort them and reassure them of his mercy and love. (Isaiah 57:15) How does Jehovah "run to us" today? He often does by means of the elders, believing family members, and others fellow worshippers. (James 5:14, 15) Jehovah provides his help because he wants us to be close to him.

Next time: Imitate Jehovah's Humility - JEHOVAH IS APPROACHABLE  - Conclusion

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Imitate Jehovah's Humility

 "Become Imitators of God, as beloved Children." - EPHESIANS 5:1. 

WHEN you observe people in power today, does the quality of humility come to mind? Likely not. Jehovah, is almighty, is humble. (Psalm 113:5-8) Humility permeates Jehovah's personality; there is not a trace of haughtiness in him. It will benefit us to consider four aspects of Jehovah's personality and discover how his humility is reflected in each of them. We will also consider how Jesus imitated his Father's humility. By examining these facets, we will help to draw closer to Jehovah and to imitate his humility to a greater degree.

Next time: Imitate Jehovah's Humility -JEHOVAH IS APPROACHABLE

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THE BOOK OF JOB

 What benefits we receive from examining the book of Job! As we learned in the preceding article, the inspired account teaches us not only what God permits suffering but also how we can endure it. And as we have considered in this discussion, all of us can learn to give effective counsel by not following the bad examples of Job's three companions but instead follow the good examples of Elihu. Why not review the lessons you have learned from the book of Job before offering counsel to others in the future? And if it has been some time since you have had the pleasure of reading the book of Job, make it your goal to reread this remarkable book. You will find that it is just as beneficial today as it was when it was written.

Next time: Imitate Jehovah's Humility

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - HOW ELIHU COUNSELED JOB - Conclusion

 How we can benefit. As Christians, we too make known God's will by proclaiming what is found in his Word, the Bible. Another way we do so is by using words that build up and encourage our fellow worshippers. (1 Corinthians 14:3) Elders need to be especially aware of the need to "speak consolingly" to their brothers and sisters, even those who might be agitated or inclined to engage in "wild talk." - 1 THESSALONIANS 5:14; JOB 6:3.

Imagine this situation.  An elderly learns that a sister in his congregation is feeling depressed. Commendably, he and another brother visit her to try to provide encouragement. During the visit, the sister expresses negative emotions. She mentions that although she is attending meetings and going out in the ministry, she feels little joy. How will the brother taking the lead react?

First, he will likely try to learn the underlying reasons for the sister's pain. To accomplish that, he will have to listen patiently. Does she feel unworthy of God's love? Are the "anxieties of life" breaking her spirit? (Luke 21:34) Second, the elder will look for opportunities to commend the sister. She is, after all, still attending meetings and sharing in the ministry despite feeling depressed. And third, once the elder understands the situation and what is causing the siter to feel discouraged, he will use the Bible to build up her confidence in God's love for her. - GALATIANS 2:20. 

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THE BOOK OF JOB

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel- HOW ELIHU COUNSELED JOB

 When offering counsel, Elihu did so in way that dignified faithful man. For example, Elihu used Job's name, which the other three men apparently did not. (Read Job 33:1.) Perhaps remembering his own strong desire to speak while Job and his companions argued, Elihu also empathetically offered Job a chance to respond to his counsel. (Job 32:4; 33:32) Elihu also clearly warned Job of the danger of some of his reasoning and kindly reminded him of Jehovah's wisdom, power, justice, and loyal love. (Job 36:18, 21-26; 37:23, 24) Elihu's good counsel no doubt put Job in the right frame of mind to receive addition instruction, this time from his Creator. (Job 38:1-3) How could the example of Elihu have benefited those in the past, and how can it benefit us today? 

How the Israelites could have benefited.  Throughout Israel's history, Jehovah appointed prophets to make his purpose known to the Israelites. For example, during the period of the judges, Deborah provided motherly spiritual guidance to the nation and Samuel tirelessly served as Jehovah's spokesman from his youth. (Judges 4:4-7; 5:7; 1 Samuel 3:19, 20) Then during the time of the kings, Jehovah provided an almost continuous line of prophets to strengthen his people spiritually and to give advice to those who strayed from pure worship. (2 Samuel 12:1-4; Acts 3:24) Elihu's example recorded in the book of Job had the potential to help faithful men and women to understand what to say and how to say it when giving counsel. 

Next time:  The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - How Elihu Counseled Job - Conclusion

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - HOW ELIHU COUNSELED JOB

 By the time Job and his companions stopped arguing, the atmosphere must have been tense. Those men had spoken enough words to fill 28 chapters of the Bible, and what much of what was said was spoken in anger or out of frustration. No wonder Job's pain remained! He still needed comfort and correction. How did Jehovah help Job? He used Elihu to give him counsel. Why did Elihu not speak up sooner? "I am young, he said, "and you men are aged. I respectfully held back." (Job 32:6, 7) Young Elihu realized what many come to realize today: Older ones have lived and learned and, as a result, have wisdom as well as experience in life that younger ones often do not have. But after listening patiently to Job and his companions, Elihu could no longer keep silent. He said: "Age alone does not make one wise, nor is it only old men who understand what is right." (Job 32:9) What did Elihu say next, and did he say it?

Before Elihu gave Job any counsel, he created the right atmosphere. How? First, he got his own emotions under control. We know this because the Bible says that at first Elihu was angry. (Job32:2-5) Yet, not once did Elihu attack Job out of frustration. On the contrary, he spoke reassuringly to him. For example, he said to Job: "Look! I am just like you before the true God." (Read Job 33:6, 7.) Then Elihu made it clear that he had listened carefully to Job. In fact, he summarized the key points in Job's six speeches.  (Job 32:11; 33:8-11) Elihu did something similar when again offered Job counsel. - JOB 34:5, 6, 9; 35:1-4. 

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - HOW ELIJU COUNSELED JOB

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel- HOW JOB'S THREE COMPANIONS COUNSELED HIM - Conclusion

 How we can benefit. As Christians, we want to help our brothers and sisters when they go through trials. However, to do so, we must avoid what Job's three companions did.  First, we should refrain from jumping to conclusions and be sure that what we say is based on solid facts. Second, we should not build our advice primarily on the unstable ground of personal experience, as Eliphaz often did, but rather, on the solid bedrock of God's Word. (Job 4;8; 5:3, 27) Third, we need to avoid harsh or critical speech. Remember Eliphaz and his companions did speak some things that were true; one of their statements often quoted by another inspired Bible writer.  (Compare Job 5:13; with 1 Corinthians 3:19.) Nevertheless, most of what they said misrepresented God and hurt Job, so Jehovah judged what they said as false. (Job 42:7, 8) Good counsel never paints Jehovah as reasonable or his servants as unlovable. Let us now discuss what we can learn from Eliju's example. 

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - HOW ELIHU COUNSELED JOB

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel - HOW JOB'S THREE COMPANIONS COUNSELED HIM -Continue

 How the Israelites could have benefited. After forming the nation of Israel, Jehovah appointed men, elders, to judge the nation according to his righteous standards. (Deuteronomy1:15-18; 27:1) Such men needed to listen carefully before giving advice or rendering judgment.  (2 Chronicles 19:6) They also needed to ask questions rather than assume that they knew all the facts. (Deuteronomy 19:18) Those counselors in Israel needed to avoid speaking harshly to those who came to them for help. Why? Because displaying irritation would discourage a person from opening his or her heart. (Exodus 22:22-24) The elders in Israel who considered the account of Job could have gleaned lessons from it.

Of course, mature men were not the only ones who could give counsel in Israel. Really, any Israelite-young or old, male or female-could offer advice to a companion who needed help to improve in his worship or correct his conduct. (Psalm 141:5) Such sincere counsel is the mark of a true friend. (Read Proverbs 27:9.) The bad example of Job's three companions had the potential to provide the Israelites with a living pattern of what not to say and what not to do when giving counsel. 

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Counsel -HOW JOB'S THREE COMPANIONS COUNSELED HIM - Conclusion

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Give Counsel - HOW JOB'S THREE COMPANIONS COUNSELED HIM

 The Bible says that Job's three companions went to "sympathize with Job and comfort him" after hearing about his calamities. (Job 2:11) However, they failed to achieve that objective. Why? For at least three reasons. First, they quick to jump to the wrong conclusions. For example, they mistakenly assumed that Job was being punished for sins that he had committed. (Job 4:7; 11:14) Second, much of the counsel those men gave Job was unhelpful, unkind, and downright hurtful. For instance, all three men made statements that sounded good but were lacking real substance. (Job 13:12) Twice, Bildad unkindly told Job that talked too much. (Job 8:2; 18:2) And Zophar cuttingly implied that Job was "empty-headed." (Job 11:12) Third, although they may not have raised their voices when speaking to Job, their tone was often condescending, sarcastic, and accusatory. (Job 15:7-11) Ultimately, these men became interested in proving Job wrong than in healing his heart or building up his faith. 

Not surprisingly, the counsel Job's companions gave did not yield good results. Job felt accursed by their words. (Job 19:2) You can appreciate why he also felt the need to defend his reputation. That led him to become imbalanced in his thinking and to speak unwisely. (Job 6:3, 26) Job's companions did not share thoughts that harmonized with Jehovah's thinking; nor did they treat Job with compassion. As a result, they unwittingly became tools in Satan's hands. (Job 2:4, 6) How could this account have benefited those in the past, and how can it benefit us today? 

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Give Counsel - HOW JOB'S THREE COMPANIONS COUNSELED HIM - Continue

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The Book of Job Can Help You When You Give Counsel

 "Now, Job, please hear my words." - JOB 33:1.

THE news spreads like wildfire among the people of the East, Job, a man known far and wide for his riches, has lost everything. When three of Job's companions-Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar-learn what has happened to Job, they journey to Uz in order to comfort him. But they are prepared for what they see when they arrive. 

Imagine the scene. In a sense, everything that Job possessed had been taken from him. His vast herds of sheep, cattle, and donkeys are gone. His children have been killed and most of his servants have been slaughtered. And the house where Job's children were killed lies in ruins. As if that weren't bad enough, Job is personally affected. His body is now covered with painful boils. From distance, the three men see Job dejected and sitting in ashes. How do they react? For some seven days, they do not say a word to this man who in great pain. (Job 2:12, 13) At one point, a younger man named Elihu arrives and sits down nearby. Job finally breaks the silence by cursing the day he was born and wishing for death. (Job 3:1-3, 11) Clearly, Job needs help! What these men say and how they say it will prove whether they are really Job's friends and whether they are truly interested in his welfare. 

Jehovah had Moses record what Job's three companions and Elihu said and did. It is worth noting that some of what Eliphaz said seems to have been inspired by a wicked spirit. In contrast, Elihu's statements were inspired by Jehovah.  (Job 4:12-16; 33:24, 25) Little wonder, then, that even though the book of Job contains some of the best advice given, it also contains some of the worst. A key benefit that we can gain from the book of Job is how it can help us when we need to give counsel. First, we will consider the bad examples of Job's three companions. Then, we will discuss the good example of Elihu. In each case, we will learn how the Israelites could have benefited from the book of Job and how we can benefit from it today.

Next time: The Book of Job Can Help You When You Give Counsel - HOW JOB'S THREE COMPANIONS COUNSELED HIM

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