Bad Advice
“…God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.”
Zophar was not a very good friend of Job. He came to console him, but he ended up criticizing and judging him. The refrain was true in this case: “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”
The problem is that Zophar, like many of us, often become judges and “advisors” forgetting that the only judge is Christ.
One thing that would be good for all of us to learn is not to give unsolicited advice. If someone asks a question, we should answer with the Word of God. If advice is not requested from us, we should not give one; especially if we do not know all the facts relating to the situation, or the problem affecting our brother or sister in Christ.
Zophar judged Job taking only into consideration the external circumstances and he condemned him in his heart. Without knowing all the details, he accused Job without compassion. Who appointed Zophar as judge or prosecutor? In reality I do not know, but I am sure that is was not Yahweh.
What kind of love is the one that criticizes, instead of consoling and edifying?
If only God would make compassionate Christians of us! Yes, we should hate sin with all our hearts, but not the sinner. If one of our brothers or sisters would fall into sin (as we will), our duty is to pray for them, support them, console them, advice them (if we are asked) and restore them.
Let us not make the same mistake of Zophar, in which he accused an innocent man. If we do not have anything good to say, we should not say anything at all.
