The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.

Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between [wise and unwise] words, just as the mouth distinguishes [between desirable and undesirable] food? Job 12:11 AMP

2 "Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. 3 For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. 4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. Job 34:2-4 (New International Version)

This came from four friends talking to each other. Three came to comfort the one, Job. They sat with him in silence at first. On the same day he lost all his possessions, he had lost his 7 sons and 3 daughters. Three times I have sat with friends who have lost a child-the children were 7 (cancer), 17 (car accident) and 19 (car accident). I could not find the words to console that heartache from losing one child. I cannot fathom the grief from losing all 10 of your children. As a friend, it grieved me deeply that I couldn't make their pain go away. I felt their grief in my own heart. It has been years and as I think of it today my heart still swells with grief and tears stain my cheeks. When you care about someone, when you love your friends, their tests and trials touch your heart too. You can learn together.

The next day, Job became very ill as well. We would say, "stress and grief will do that sometimes." This is the point that the friends are visiting with him. After a time, they begin to talk to him. They are trying to help him out of this pit of affliction. They reason what God's role in all this is and how Job may regain His favor. After some time passed, I remember thinking that I needed to help my friend's get "back on track". It was so difficult to see them so deeply mired in grief. I just wanted to reach out a hand and pull them out of that mire that their tears could not wash away. I wanted their heartache to be healed instantly but these things take time and the scar never completely disappears.

Friends have good intentions. Thank God for their comforting arms and shoulders to cry on. I am so thankful for the special ones that will lie down on the floor with you when you have fallen flat on your face, take hold of your hands and pray. And, for those hands that reach out to pull you up off the floor when you need to draw from their strength in God to remind you of yours to get up on your feet again.

I have always desired to be a good friend like that. On many occasion I have tried to do and say what I thought God wanted but didn't get the results-at least not right away. I have always wanted the instant fix--but the bigger hurts require more than a "kiss" to heal. They require calling 911 or rather Psalm 91:1. 1HE WHO [a]dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. Or as Jesus said in Mark 9:29 And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.

Somewhere in this conversation I think Job's friends realized this was much too big for them to figure out and help him through. They realized it was only God who was going to be able to heal Job. Job 36 5 CJB "Look, God is powerful and despises no one, powerful in His strength of understanding. 22"Look, God is exalted in his strength; who is a teacher like him? 26Look, God is great, beyond what we can know; the number of his years is uncountable. They go on to list all the wonders of God and lastly say: 37:24 This is why people fear him; He does not consider those who think of themselves as wise."

Then the light bulb came on. Job 38:1 says, Then ADONAI answered Job out of the storm. He got a word. His ears tested and his heart heard. He listened to God and answered: Job 42:2, 5, 6 "I know that you can do everything, that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 5 I had heard about you with my ears, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I detest [myself] and repent in dust and ashes." And here is the rest of the story: 7After ADONAI had spoken these words to Job, ADONAI said to Elifaz the Teimani, "My anger is blazing against you and your two friends, because, unlike my servant Job, you have not spoken rightly about me. 8So now, get yourselves seven young bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering. My servant Job will pray for you - because him I will accept - so that I won't punish you as your boorishness deserves; because you have not spoken rightly about me, as my servant Job has." 9So Elifaz the Teimani, Bildad the Shuchi and Tzofar the Na'amati went and did what ADONAI had ordered them to do, and ADONAI accepted Job['s prayer]. 10When Job prayed for his friends, ADONAI restored his fortunes; ADONAI gave Job twice as much as he had had before. 11Then all his brothers and sisters came to him, also all who had known him before, and they ate a meal with him in his house. They consoled and comforted him for all the evils ADONAI had inflicted on him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12ADONAI blessed Job's later situation even more than his earlier one - he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 pairs of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. 13He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14The first he named Y'mimah; the second, K'tzi'ah; and the third, Keren-Hapukh. 15Nowhere in the land could women be found as beautiful as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritances along with their brothers. 16After this, Job lived 140 years, long enough to see his sons and grandsons, four generations. 17Then, old and full of days, Job died.

Job humbled himself before God. He stopped justifying all his actions and qualifying himself. He stopped questioning God and simply accepted his situation. Then he repented of all the things he had done and said, known and unknown, and laid himself at God's feet--now at his lowest point, Job was God's servant. Then God had something He could truly work with. He used Job to pray for his friends and blessed him for his obedience.

Is it not the task of the ear to discriminate between [wise and unwise] words, just as the mouth distinguishes [between desirable and undesirable] food? Job 12:11 AMP Job learned that his friends deeply cared for him. Their intentions were good. They tried to help with their words but the wise and desirable words came from God. Some words are to be spit out and some savored. The true wisdom Job sought in his most difficult situation could only come from his master. He needed to hear the voice of his shepherd. As Job delighted in serving God he was lifted out of the ashes. When Job humbled himself and was obedient, God delighted in his servant Job.

I am sure Job was thankful that his friends stayed with him, encouraging him, until he finally heard from God. Maybe not so much at the time but later when he realized they didn't give up on him. They held him up until he finally got the word he so desperately needed from God. Sometimes, we can't see the forest for the trees or distinguish desirable from undesirable food. This is especially true when pain is dimming our eyes. I believe Job's friends learned a lot from this too.

LORD, I am so thankful for all my friends that have been encouraging me through my bodily affliction. The last four and a half years have been so difficult not only for me but for all my friends and loved ones around me. LORD, I pray for them all today. Comfort them as only You can. Bless each and every one that has physically tended my needs, prayed, asked others to pray and met all my needs as you directed with a blessing so big they cannot contain it. LORD, forgive me of all my transgressions. LORD, I repent. I lay before you a most humble servant. You know my heart and my deep desire to be a blessing to all your children. LORD, speak and let my heart hear your words. Fill me with your strength to do your will. Lord, I want to be able to minister to others as you direct in whatever capacity you command. In Jesus' name, I pray. AMEN