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? 

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