The Old Testament tells a story of a man named Job whose three friends mourned with him after a string of crushing tragedies. When Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (Job’s friends) saw with their own eyes the gravity of Job’s situation they tore their robes and collapsed in the dirt next to him; no one would say a word for the next seven days. If at the end of that seventh day Job’s friends had just left, content with their solidarity and support through grief filled silence, they would’ve gone down in history as some of the most compassionate friends ever. As it was, they did not, they had to open their months and give Job their advice and judgment.
The scriptures say we are to “ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” If you can help it, I guess I write this as an encouragement to keep your comments to a minimum if you ever find yourself in a situation like Job’s friends did, because folks mostly don’t need your words, they need your presence in time of tragedy…
