Recently I was dragged into a conversation that I really wanted nothing to do with. A friend of mine had to break off a relationship with some other friends. She had me and another friend trapped and was telling half one side truths about the friend that she had to break off the relationship with. I don't know if she had forgotten months ago she told me some other reason why she might break up this relationship. The bitterness in her voice and on her face said it all. She was not admitting any fault on her or her family as to part of the blame. It was all this one friend's fault. I just happen to be real good friends with the one that she was breaking up with and knew for a fact some of the stuff that see was saying was not true. It was two weeks after being trapped before I saw the other lady I was trapped with. During that time I was aching to talk with her to let her know what was going on. She was so glad when she talked and agreed that she felt like the lady that trapped us wanted us to be on her side. We both agree that it is a good thing that we have as little to do with her since all she wants to do is stir up strife.
Elihu was the same way. He sat quietly as he listened to Job and his three friends banter back and forth. God had placed things on His heart to lay out and he waited for the right time to speak it. Then once they were done he first addressed Job's friends as to their wrong. They had tried and convicted Job without any proof of wrong doing on his part. Not only that they insisted that he was covering up the truth. We don't know what their response to Elihu was but I can tell you that when I pointed out to my friend that trapped us some truth that she left out she just got louder and more forceful in her speech to prove her point.
There are several things that we can learn from Elihu in dealing with false accusations. Let's start with listen and gather the facts that are being said. In James we are instructed to be: "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;" (James 1:19 ESV) Elihu was able to see that Job's other friends had already convicted him of some type of wrong doing without getting the facts first. They didn't listen to a word that Job said. They just kept pushing their own agenda on Job as to what had to be going on.
Secondly, be respectful to both sides. Elihu waited till both were done talking before he said anything, giving them time to say what they were going to say. Then when he did speak up he stated what they did wrong in a respectful manner. Going back to my situation, if I said something putting down the woman who had trapped us while she was there, I would have lost all credibility with both ladies. Instead I tried to establish a time frame as to when things happened and get down to the facts instead of the emotions.
Thirdly, Elihu pointed out that they didn't have enough facts to make their judgments against Job stick. In other word they tried him and found him guilty all on circumstances. Their own understanding of how God works and not once did they think God doesn't fit in the box that they had put Him in.
Lastly, in order for both parties to be willing to listen to you, you must be impartial. You want to deal with the facts only and not get emotionally involved with either side. At this point you are setting the record straight so that there can't be any falsehoods that can damage the relationships. The bare bone facts of openness is what can heal relationships. It is when people choose to do otherwise that the selffish nature takes control and blinds everyone from the truth.
Even though Elihu was younger than Job or his friends, we can learn a lot form this wise young man. Like Paul told Timothy, " Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." ( 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV). There is something to say when a young person who stands up for what is right. Let's follow their example and stand up for what is right no matter the cost.
Elihu was the same way. He sat quietly as he listened to Job and his three friends banter back and forth. God had placed things on His heart to lay out and he waited for the right time to speak it. Then once they were done he first addressed Job's friends as to their wrong. They had tried and convicted Job without any proof of wrong doing on his part. Not only that they insisted that he was covering up the truth. We don't know what their response to Elihu was but I can tell you that when I pointed out to my friend that trapped us some truth that she left out she just got louder and more forceful in her speech to prove her point.
There are several things that we can learn from Elihu in dealing with false accusations. Let's start with listen and gather the facts that are being said. In James we are instructed to be: "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;" (James 1:19 ESV) Elihu was able to see that Job's other friends had already convicted him of some type of wrong doing without getting the facts first. They didn't listen to a word that Job said. They just kept pushing their own agenda on Job as to what had to be going on.
Secondly, be respectful to both sides. Elihu waited till both were done talking before he said anything, giving them time to say what they were going to say. Then when he did speak up he stated what they did wrong in a respectful manner. Going back to my situation, if I said something putting down the woman who had trapped us while she was there, I would have lost all credibility with both ladies. Instead I tried to establish a time frame as to when things happened and get down to the facts instead of the emotions.
Thirdly, Elihu pointed out that they didn't have enough facts to make their judgments against Job stick. In other word they tried him and found him guilty all on circumstances. Their own understanding of how God works and not once did they think God doesn't fit in the box that they had put Him in.
Lastly, in order for both parties to be willing to listen to you, you must be impartial. You want to deal with the facts only and not get emotionally involved with either side. At this point you are setting the record straight so that there can't be any falsehoods that can damage the relationships. The bare bone facts of openness is what can heal relationships. It is when people choose to do otherwise that the selffish nature takes control and blinds everyone from the truth.
Even though Elihu was younger than Job or his friends, we can learn a lot form this wise young man. Like Paul told Timothy, " Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." ( 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV). There is something to say when a young person who stands up for what is right. Let's follow their example and stand up for what is right no matter the cost.