First things first - Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. My spouse is a great father to his 2 children (and will be an awesome grandfather!). He is a blessing in our lives that we quite often take for granted! In addition, I have a great father, who is and has been a wonderful support system for myself and my 3 siblings! My father-in-law is also a great father to his 3 children. What a blessing to have a heritage of male leaders in our family! I love you all!
Our Sunday School class has been studying the life of Job. We are only on our third lesson but it is very interesting to see the different view points come through the discussions. The most obvious is that Job was a godly man, with which no one argues. God allowed Satan access to Job but limited what could be done to him. There are a couple of different thoughts that have come out in the past couple of weeks about Job's friends and his trials. The obvious is that with friends like his who needs enemies! However - there is a different take on the friends. They had been taught all their lives that pain and suffering were allowed by God because of sin in the person's life! How could anyone expect them to have a different perspective then?! In addition to that - none of them had the 20/20 hindsight into the situation and what led up to it that we are allowed today. They were not aware of what happened in the Heavenly realm. Now granted - they probably should have continued to sit in silence! They were not any help or comfort once they opened their mouths, but I think we've been hard on the friends. The truth about our situation may not be what we want to hear at the time, but it certainly may be what we need to hear! It just needs to be tempered with a loving heart. Sometimes, though, we just need to be quiet! I know I need to stop trying to make sense of the situation or try to help God by explaining what He means by allowing certain things to come into someone's life. I am not God - I do not know His mind - I do not know His plans for the other person (I am not sure of His plans for my own life, much less someone elses!!!). It is very arrogant of me to think I can make things better by telling the other person what they have done wrong, thus causing this painful time in their life! The other person would be much better served by me sitting with them, quietly, without saying a word!
Father - Help me to be quiet, but be available for those in my life who need a friend to sit with them!
5 comments:
For the many years we taught 8th grade SS, I used the lesson of Job. I brought in a map and taught how God told Job to go in one direction -- and what did Job do?
He went the total opposite way.
Teenagers could so relate to this. When parents try to teach, teenagers try to go by their own mind and have to integrate the lesson by learning the hard way.
I loved this post.
I did a post a long time ago about gay people and my thoughts were the same.We turn them off Christians because of the hatred some people show them.My theory is God created us all,the paths we choose to follow may not be his way but it is not for another human being to decide that.I may not agree with the sin you are committing but I can pray for you and be with you and if God wants me to talk to you he will show me an opportunity otherwise my job is to just be there
Very thought provoking post.
what a sweet post ..Happy belated Fathers day to y'all!
Though, sometimes, Strawb, God puts words in our mouths specifically meant to help another. Guess one just has to be open. But you are right, we don't know what His plan is. And we can't take another person's lesson for them. We can help by being examples.
Incog - yes God does give us messages - we just have to be in tune with Him and know when the right time is to speak.
Frasypoo-You are right in that we may not agree with the sinful life but that doesn't mean God has given up on them!
Motherpie - sometimes we all have to learn the hard way - wish I didn't but I seem to miss the lesson until then!
Hey Angel!
Thanks to all for the comments! I always learn from each one! :)
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