Walk in Others' Shoes
Bildad echoes Eliphaz's thoughts, confronting Job with sharp words: "How long will you say such things, and the words of your mouth be like a mighty wind? Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty twist what is right? If your sons sinned against Him, He has delivered them into the hand of their transgression" Job 8:2-4
Bildad insists that Job's suffering must stem from sin. It's worth noting that Job likely lived before the Mosaic Law was given, a time when the understanding of God's grace and mercy was in its infancy. Today, we grasp God's grace and mercy more deeply than Job's contemporaries did.
These men were Job's friends, and their thoughts likely mirrored Job's own at times. If Job were in their position, and Bildad was the one suffering, how might Job respond? Would he also assume his friend had sinned?
When we encounter others' suffering, it's easy to be one-sided in our empathy or sympathy, missing the full picture.
So, what can we do? Pray & seek the Lord's wisdom when ministering to others. Take a moment to consider what it might feel like to walk in their shoes. Show compassion and understanding, for you never know the battles someone else may be facing.
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