Tough Love? Job 11

Job 11: Job 11:14 (ESV)

If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

and let not injustice dwell in your tents.

The above words flow from the mouth of Zophar! There is a Zophar in everyone's life. In chapter eleven we learn much about Job's "friend." When Job's previous friends (Eliphaz and Bildad) had confronted Job they used the wrong logic and reason for Job's suffering, but they still practiced some form of mercy and grace in their verbal offerings. Zophar, however, is from the University of Hard Knocks. He majored in the latest edition of, "tough love." His argument is very similar to Bildad's in that he attributes Job's suffering to his sin. That is what the above verse is implying. However, Zophar is blunt in his delivery and coarse in his words. Imagine the scene being painted by the Holy Spirit before us. We have Job laying on the ground on a bed of affliction (not some nice hospital room), scraping his sores with pieces of a broken pottery pot. Flies are swarming about. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar are sitting about him. When the other two speak there is much pause and a careful tone of delivery, leaning forward and encouraging Job, even if their doctrine is wrong. But, now we have Zophar. He sits back in his chair, arms crossed and nose in the air. He simply bashes Job. He lays it on the line and "tells it like it is." His thought process is that you have to be blunt and hard to get these "type of people" to correct their behavior. Zophar is the drill sergeant we never wanted but got anyway. Tough love might be a good philosophy but it must be based upon real love. Tough love does not have to be delivered in an unloving manner. Zophar is neither right in his assessment (Job was not suffering due to sin) nor correct in his delivery. We all have Zophars in our lives. However, we should never be one in someone else's life. (ESV)

If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

and let not injustice dwell in your tents.