Out of the mouth of babes - Job 32-34

Up until now we have heard from six characters in this one act play. Satan has confronted God about His servant Job. Job has been afflicted, as a test, by the hand of God to see how he would react. Job's three friends, Elihu, Zophar and Bildad have all tired to "coach" Job and get his mind straight about this diaster that has afflicted him. As each of Job's frineds took a turn to coach him, none were able to provide an adequate answer that Job did not refute. However, in Job's refuting, he made a serious error: Rather than focus on God he focused on himself and actually justified himself. We didn't know it as we read the story but a young man named Elihu was standing by watching and observing. He didn't want to talk and offer his words because he realized that old age should speak. Yet, he can no longer hold his tongue - he is about to burts (32:15-22). He wants to offer counsel to Job despite who he is. That is a lesson in and of itself, but the real lesson is how he offers counsel. When you read chapter 33 you here sense of empathy and humility. Elihu, unlike the three older men, doesn't come across as arrogant or condemning to Job. He relates to Job and wants Job to know that he simply wants to offer an answer about His God that Job should consider. He doesn't condemn Job but he begins in humility talking to Job about God. Perhaps we can all take a lesson here. When we are coaching someone who is in a bad spot we should always begin with God and not focus on the problem. We should focus on the solution. Job's older friends focused on what was wrong with Job. The young man, Elihu, focused on the solution for Job. Take a lesson from the young man for your own play book on how to coach and how to counsel another. Be humble, be empathetic, don't condemn, be direct, but focus on the solution not the problem. In our society today we spend so much time analyzing the problem we fail to see and spend time on the solution: God's amazing grace and love and power.