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Another Purpose of Suffering

             Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking? (Job 4:1-2)

                Things went from bad to worse for Job, and eventually, he ended up on an ash heap, scraping his sores with a piece of broken pottery. Three friends showed up and spent seven days just sitting with him before Job gave voice to his pain. That’s when Eliphaz spoke up, and he, his friends, and at least one other spend the next 34 chapters arguing with Job about what a sinner he is and his lack of faith. It was, and is, a common belief among some that bad things only happen to bad people or should only happen to bad people. And in my statement yesterday that none of us are good, I could be labeled one of “Job’s friends.” But that’s neither what I said or what I meant.

                But in the chapters that follow Elihu’s exasperation, two things come to mind. The first is that the friends were there to help Job. They did what was probably the worst possible job, but that was what they came to do. One of the reasons bad things happen to good people and to bad people is to give other people the opportunity to do good by helping them. They failed miserably, but then again, throughout history, we watch as human beings fail miserably to be the sort of beings they ought to be. Why should it surprise us in this case?

                The second thing that comes to mind is that, as is shown at the end of the story, those who suffer provide those who aren’t suffering at the same time with teachings of wisdom. The suffering can not only teach those who aren’t suffering how to suffer, but how to help the suffering. Job, in his suffering, does a poor job of this as well, but we have to keep in mind that Job may not have had a lot of experience at suffering, especially not to this level. One of the things those in pain can help us learn is that pain tends to make you lose perspective, and someone saying, “You need to keep things in perspective” doesn’t help.

                There is a grave danger on both sides.  There is no quicker way to end your usefulness to another than to tell them, “Sit down, shut up, and let me school you.” Both Job and his friends show us that. Arrogance has no place on either side. But, ultimately, the point is that there probably isn’t anything that can’t teach us wisdom. Suffering isn’t pleasant, but it can do us a lot of good if we let it.

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