And at the end of Job’s story Job must offer up a prayer. In the middle of Job’s mess, in the middle of this most sacred season of his life that God had allowed him to walk through in order for him to see God as he’s never seen him before, Job’s friends abuse him.
They abuse him to such a degree that God tells them how angry he is with them. Because they have not spoken rightly like Job. He tells them they are to make a sacrifice and that Job will pray for them and he will accept his prayer and not deal with them as their stupidity truly deserves.
This makes me wonder what role do I play in other people’s stories? Everyone has a story. Everyone has painful moments. Everyone has seasons where life can be exceptionally brutal. So, what part do I play in their story?
My best friend tells me I am her husband’s greatest advocate. For that he trusts her to tell me anything they walk through. But what if I wasn’t? What if every time she was angry I told her what a horrible man he was (which he isn’t, he’s a treasure, so it’s easy to say that.) But what if I didn’t. What if my perspective was so short sited that I missed the opportunity in which God offers me.
As much as people are a part of our story, we are a part of theirs? Are people grateful we’re in their story? Or would they rather God go pull their understudy? Do we offer words of life? Or we only people-pleasers wanting to tell them whatever we can for them to like us, remain our friends? Or are we the opposite, so convinced we are always right, that whatever we say must be accepted or that individual is simply wrong? Or are we friends we even while they are talking are praying asking God for wisdom on how to respond?
I have found that very often I can go to meet with someone and know exactly what I’m going to say because after all I know everything right? And as I sit there, praying, asking God, “Lord, what are You really saying here.” That very often the “agenda” I came with is replaced by what God wants to say through me….
What kind of friend are you? It matters…it really matters…
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