Most of us are pretty good at the first half of talking, but not so good at the second half. We are proficient at talking, but deficient at listening. As you recall, this was especially true of Job’s friends. When they heard of the evil that was come upon their friend Job, they made an appointment together “to come to mourn with him and to comfort him” (Job 2:11). It seems that their intentions were good. They wanted to comfort him. However, they proved to be “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2). In large part, they were “miserable comforters” because they failed to listen to their friend. They were so busy telling him what a great sinner he was that they failed to hear his declarations of innocence.

THOUGHT: Let’s make sure that we do better than they did. (Wade Webster)

1 John Hagee, Life’s Challenges, Your Opportunities

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).

Mike Benson