Are my words a blessing?

Scripture:

Job 4:1-4 Then Eliphaz from Teman spoke up: (2) "Would you mind if I said something to you? Under the circumstances it's hard to keep quiet. (3) You yourself have done this plenty of times, spoken words that clarify, encouraged those who were about to quit. (4) Your words have put stumbling people on their feet, put fresh hope in people about to collapse.

Observation:

Eliphaz claimed to have been given secret knowledge through a special revelation from God (Job 4:12-16), and that he had learned much from personal experience (Job 4:8). He argued that suffering is a direct result of sin, so if Job would only confess his sin, his suffering would end. Eliphaz saw suffering as God's punishment, which should be welcomed in order to bring a person back to God. In some cases, of course, this may be true (Gal 6:7-8), but it was not true with Job. Although Eliphaz had many good and true comments, he made three wrong assumptions: (1) A good and innocent person never suffers; (2) those who suffer are being punished for their past sins; and (3) Job, because he was suffering, had done something wrong in God's eyes.

Application:

Eliphaz's first few words say a lot about Job and his character. He said about Job:

1. Often spoke words of encouragement to those who were about to quit

2. His words had put stumbling people on their feet

3. His words had put fresh hope in people who were about to collapse

What a commentary on Job. He obviously was an encourager. The questions that I ask myself as I read those words are: Are my words an encouragement to those who are thinking about quitting or do my words push them a little closer to quitting? Do my words put stumbling people back on their feet or do they push them further deeper into despair and discouragement? Do my words put fresh hope into people who are about to collapse, or do they cause them to go ahead and collapse?

It truly is something to think about isn't it?

Prayer:

"Lord, please help me to be an encourager every day of my life. Help me to examine my words BEFORE I speak them out. Help me to remember that people are watching and listening to every word that I speak. I am so sorry for the times I have not represented You as You would like for me to. Today I want to encourage someone who is about to quit. I want my words to put someone back on their feet. And I want my words to put fresh hope into someone's life who is about to collapse. I ask this in Jesus name, amen!"

Blessings!

Pastor Rusty L. Blann