“In Times Of Adversity {Affliction} There Should Be Kindness From His Friend… “-{Job 6:14}
“… him that is afflicted – Margin, “melteth.” The word here used ‘to melt, flow down, waste away,’ and here means one who pines away, or is consumed under calamities. The design of this verse is, to reprove his friends for the little sympathy which they had shown for him. He had looked for consolation in his trials, and he had a right to expect it; but he says that he had met with just the opposite, and that his calamity was aggravated by the fact that they had dealt only in the language of severity.
Pity should be showed from his friend – Good renders this, “shame to the man who despiseth his friend.”… If there is any place where kindness should be shown, it is when a man is sinking under accumulated sorrows…”- {Barnes.}
What Job looked for and what his friends had within their power to Deliver they withheld- …KINDNESS!
The fruit of the Spirit is “Kindness.” an evidence of walking in obedience and under the influence of The Spirit of God is the manifestation of “Kindness….{Gal 5:22-23}… “Kindness” is a fruit of a loving person as defined by 1 Cor 13:4…. ”
“Kindness is characterized by benevolence and tenderness. A kind person is disposed to help others and to do so with sympathy and consideration. Godly love will make a person kinder. NO ONE CAN BE LOVING AND UNKIND AT THE SAME TIME.”-{gotquestions.org}
Someones affliction, adversity shines light on our own mentality and condition of our own heart by what we exhibit… Job in his calamity of pain, desired one thing and that was withheld….Kindness.
If you see someone afflicted “wasting away” under the severity of affliction… the immediate thought should be HOW can I demonstrate Love by showing …Kindness…. “Be Being Kind to One Another…” {Eph 4:31}
Someone else’s affliction is Your Opportunity to demonstrate …Kindness…LOVE and is a testimony to “all men that you are My disciples by your love…”…Let us not love in word or tongue but in DEED and truth…”- ‘{ John 13:34; 1 John 3:16-18}
AFFLICTION’S CHOICES;
In the story of the Good Samaritan, two people who had come from the place of worship, knowing the Scriptures upon seeing the man who had been beaten up and discarded by the side of the road made a CONSCIOUS CHOICE… To walk by on the other side and ignore him. They did not want to get involved. His problem was simply NOT Their problem. How easy it is to hear about kindness, listen to a message on kindness, agree we should be kind and yet when an opportunity arises we prove to ourselves we are not kind people! One man upon seeing the beaten mans STOPS, STOOPS, and takes him to an inn to be taken care of and promises upon his return will take care of any expenses occurred… he demonstrated love, he exercised… kindness….by being “useful” to another…
“In times of affliction there should be KINDNESS from his friend…”
This verse got me thinking on some questions -“Am I Kind? Am I a friend to the afflicted? Is there any evidence to convict me of genuine friendship?” How about you?
How Do you avoid being a Job “friend?” Be Kind to the afflicted. When you notice them spring into action and show…KINDNESS!
Another’s affliction is your opportunity to ask “HOW Can I show Kindness and be a friend?”
“No one Can Be Loving And unkind At The Same Time.”
TRUE FRIENDS ARE…KIND.