False Friends
“…but now they make sport of me…”
Until now, the story of Job is extremely sad. First, he is stricken with multiple trials that leave him lonely, sad and penniless. Then, his wife criticizes him and his “friends” attack him without compassion. As if this was not enough, Job receives jet another blow. They all leave him in his hour of greatest need, and laugh at his tragedy.
That is how human beings are. We are “friends” or friendly to the rich, the popular, and the powerful ones. But, woe unto those that are visited by poverty and diseases! They all forget him and make fun of his anguish. Julio Iglesias sings about this tragedy in one of his songs entitled, “La Vida Sigue Igual” (Life remains the same):
“Very few are truly friends,
How they flatter you if you prevail
But if you fail you will realize
That the good friends stay,
The others say good-bye.”
Job was a good man. He never mistreated his servants and was a faithful spouse and an exemplary father. He respected everyone equally and the doors of his house were always open to strangers. Although he could have done evil, he chose to help the widows, the poor, and the orphans.
All those that benefited from Job now laughed. What would you do? Would you seek vengeance or would you continue to do good? Meditate on this today and tomorrow, we will see what Job’s response was.
