Judgmental Friend

     We have all sorts of people in our lives.  The judgmental friend is just one type of friend.  They may be able to see areas of gray, but right is right until proven otherwise.  They may keep their mouth shut, but they have an opinion on everything.  When they speak it is with authority, as in the final authority because they are not interested in other people's opinions.

    Zophar was the judgmental friend.  Job may have considered him an ally because he had not said a word up until now.  Job now knew that he didn't have one person in his life that was on his side or would support him.  He must have felt completely alone in his misery.

    Zophar took offense on how Job claimed that he had not sinned in a way that deserved what he was receiving.  Zophar believed that Job's words alone were condemning.  If we were in a court room: Job would be defending himself, Eliphaz the prosecution, Bildad the jury, and Zophar the judge.

    Zophar had no compassion and went so far to call Job a fool.  Only if Job would confess his sins, would anything change.  It was the only way he would find joy in his life again.  Everyone was making Satan's job a little too easy, yet they all stood on moral ground.  Job was the only resisting his manipulations.

    Job's friends had come to comfort him in his time of need, but all they ended up doing was condemn him.  With friends like this, who needs enemies.  Even if they meant well, it is not productive for everyone to gang up against one person and hurt a person that is already hurting.  They all spoke of what they knew and believed was right, but none had insight.

Job 11