Bajan Tuh De Bone

Thursday, July 24 2008

A true companion is . . . born for when there is distress.—Prov. 17:17.

There are many fine lessons in how Elihu endeavored to help Job spiritually. He listened at length before responding. (Job 32:11; Prov. 18:13) Elihu used Job’s name and appealed to him as a friend. (Job 33:1) Unlike the three false comforters, Elihu did not consider himself superior to Job. “From the clay I was shaped, I too,” he said. He did not want to add to Job’s suffering by thoughtless words. (Job 33:6, 7; Prov. 12:18) Rather than criticizing Job’s former conduct, Elihu commended him for his righteousness. (Job 33:32) Most important, Elihu saw things from God’s viewpoint, and he helped Job to focus on the fact that Jehovah would never act unjustly. (Job 34:10-12) He encouraged Job to wait on Jehovah, rather than to strive to demonstrate his own righteousness. (Job 35:2; 37:14, 23) Christian elders and others can surely benefit from such lessons. w06 8/15 2:14, 15