Repentance and Love

"To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty" (Job 6:14). This is really a simple rule to remember, and there's really no excuse for us to be found in transgression of it; that is unless we have "forsaken the fear of the Almighty," and his love is not dwelling in us like it should be. It comes back around to what we have come to know as 'the golden rule:' "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Mat. 7:12). This is really simple math my friend. If it us who is cast down, it's certain that we would want someone to lift us up with a genuine caring spirit. I mean, that just feels good, and there isn't anybody who doesn't want to feel good, or at least anybody with a sane mind. We should want to lift someone up who is afflicted because it's what we naturally want to do. That is the way of the love of God, and if we profess faith in Christ, that is what we should be walking in. "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (Eph. 5:1,2). There is another really good reason that we should pay special attention to the hurting condition of others: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). It should be duly noted that it does not matter WHY someone is hurting, when it comes to lending a helping hand. If someone is afflicted because they have done something wrong, or at least because we THINK that to be the case; then they need all the more help!

The apostle Paul explained what we shouol do for someone who is being corrected by God's loving hand: "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed" (Heb. 12:11-13). That is an admonition to believers to lift up the hands of other believers, and strengthen their weakened knees. However, the fact that someone is under affliction does not necessarily mean that they have done something wrong that they are being chastened for. Such was the case with Job, who is the author of our text verse. His friends were insistent that Job had done some enormous sin, to have procured all the affliction that had come upon him. Job knew that was not the case, but the point of our text verse is that when someone is cast down, the immediate issue is not WHY they are afflicted, but rather it is to HELP THEM!! It is an uncaring and judgmental spirit that wants to make the 'why' of someone's affliction the focus. The love of God in someone just wants to lift up the feeble knees, and the hands that hang down. The 'why' of someone's pain can wait until afterward. Those who are hurting need to be comforted, relieved, and strengthened first of all. That is exactly where Job's 'friends' failed. We should purify our hearts from that kind of spirit, and not follow their pathetic example. All I have left to say is that I usually write about things that I'm around, or that I see, or that I have or am experiencing. In any event I assure you that these are words of soberness, and honesty, and truth. God bless.