June 2 - Job 5-7: Sufferers Attract Fixers

The speech of Eliphaz is almost comical and yet, all too familiar.  He's trying to fix his friend Job, who has lost everything and is now covered head-to-toe with nasty, oozing sores, by telling him empty promises of what he believes are God's blessings:

"If I were in your shoes, I'd go straight to God, I'd throw myself on the mercy of God.  After all, he's famous for great and unexpected acts: there's no end to his surprises.  He gives rain...He raises up the down-and-out...So, what a blessing when God steps in and corrects you!  Mind you, don't despise the discipline of Almighty God!  True, he wounds, but he also dresses the wound; the same hand that hurts you, heals you.  From one disaster after another he delivers you; no matter what the calamity, the evil can't touch you -- 

In famine, he'll keep you from starving, in war, from being gutted by the sword.  You'll be protected from vicious gossip and live fearless through any catastrophe....You'll know that your place on earth is safe, you'll look over your goods and find nothing amiss.  You'll see your children grow up...You'll arrive at your grave ripe with many good year...Yes, this is the way things are - my word of honor! Take it to heart and you won't go wrong."   (5:8-27)

What nonsense.  And how difficult would it be in that situation to receive those words and not be overwhelmed by so much wrong thinking - not even knowing where to step in and counter with the fact that your experience is showing God to be acting very differently than the prosperity god being described.  This is what might have gone on inside my head if I were Job:

Rain?  So what, I don't have any crops left.

Dress my wounds?  I'm scraping my own wounds with broken pottery.

Evil can't touch me?  Satan has been given permission to strike me.

Live fearlessly?  I'm scared to death and would prefer death over this.

My place on earth is safe and my goods aren't missing?  Everything I worked for is gone.

I'll see my children grow up?  They're already dead!

Take your word to heart and I can't go wrong?  Really, then why didn't you show up before all this happened - it's a little late now.

Job's answers, however, are honest and to the point.  He doesn't entertain Eliphaz's nonsense.

Confront me with the truth and I'll shut up, show me where I've gone off the track.  Honest words never hurt anyone, but what's the point of all this pious bluster?  You pretend to tell me what's wrong with my life, but treat my words of anguish as so much hot air.  Are people mere things to you?  Are friends just items of profit and loss? (6:24-27)

Oh, I have so much to learn about entering into others' suffering and so much about entering into my own suffering.  I think that reading through the book of Job will be great training in discernment - getting past the platitudes and "entertaining the suffering, participating insofar as we are able - entering the mystery and looking around for God" (Peterson, Intro. to Job)

What other lies about God or suffering did you recognize in Eliphaz's speech?  What truth did you identify with in Job's?