Recognizing a Fools Errors while Ignoring Their Pain

Readings:

Job 14

Job 15

Job 16

When someone who is hurting lashes out about God or about us, I wonder how often like Job’s friends we are quicker to correct them than to encourage them?

Truly and deeply hurt people are in no position to be argued against — is like the fable of the Tiger arguing with the donkey over something clearly wrong the foolish donkey said. And the Tiger brings his dispute before the Lion king. And the Lion kings punishes the Tiger because he should know better than to argue with a foolish donkey when he is a tiger — not the donkey for being wrong.

I’m reminded of the intense need and deep grief that Job was in. I can not fault him for being genuine and transparent about his pain and his very real suffering.

Isn’t it better to be the man who screams out and curses God in the midst of great pain, than to pour salt in the wounds of hurting man?

Wouldn’t it be better to carry the hurt man however you must, even if it is too cut through a roof to get him to Jesus — rather than argue to prove yourself more right and less wrong than him?

Being able to see and point out the errors of another fool doesn’t make us wise.

Proverbs 9:7-8 ESV

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

Proverbs 29:9 ESV

If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.

In contrast,  the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalms 34:18), He comforts those who mourn (Matthew 54), He gives rest for our weary souls (Matthew 11:28-30). He will wipe every tear from their eyes (Revelation 21:4). We are called to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15).