When Less Is More

If I want to be a good friend, what are some things I should avoid?

God’s Response

When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Job 2:11

Job spoke again: “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air?” Job 16:1-3

Job’s friends were at their best when they showed up, sat with him, and listened without saying a word (see Job 2:12-13). Unfortunately, they then began to lecture Job on why they thought he was suffering and what they thought he should do about it. In the end, they even told Job that his suffering was his own fault. If only they knew the truth (read Job 1–2 for the real reason Job suffered)! A good friend is quick to listen and slow to judge. The words you speak to a friend can heal like a comforting balm or they can wound like an arrow. When your friend is hurting, the best thing you can do is to be there to listen and comfort.

This Is Promising

Never abandon a friend—either yours or your father’s. When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance. Proverbs 27:10