Date: 01-23-2021

Title: Be Encouraging

(S) cripture:
    Job 16:1-6 (NLT2) Then Job spoke again: 2 “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! 3 Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking? 4 I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you. 5 But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief. 6 Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.

(O) bservation:
    Eliphaz has just given a long speech accusing Job of being unrighteous and sinful and arrogant. When Job needed a friend to encourage him all he got was condescending accusation. In his response Job tells Eliphaz that if roles were reversed, he could treat him the same, but he would choose to encourage not condemn.

(A) pplication:
    Today when tempted to condemn or be condescending I will choose to encourage and lift up mot put a person down. I want to be known as an encourager. I do not want to ignore sin but know that accusation rather than encouraging friendship will not move a person toward the Savior.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, let me be an encourager today. Let me lift people up and not put them down. Let me point the way to You. Amen