ESOCS Devotional 28 October 2026 – Compassion Than Advice
MEMORY VERSE: “But Job answered and said, Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid on the balances together!” Job 6:1, 2 KJV
TEXT: JOB 6:1- 13
But Job answered and said,
2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.
8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?
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To show compassion as well as give advice to a friend who is in grief is good. But sometimes, it is better to show compassion than advice. Compassion shows the suffering fellow that you care. Such was the case of Job and his friends when Job passed through test (calamities). Job needed their compassion than their advice, even though they sat with him in silence for seven days. (2: 11-13).
Job had four friends – Eliphaz the Termanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite, and Elihu the Buzite who at various times gave him advice during his grief period. Eliphaz advised Job to go to God and confess his sins (5:8). For Bildad, he asked him how long he would go on with his grief (8:2). Zophar advised him to get rid of his sins (11:13,14). Elihu advised him to keep silent and he will teach him wisdom (33:33). In Job’s response, one of the key points was that they (especially Elihu) were advising him without sympathizing with his situation. He said Eliphaz advice was like eating the tasteless white part of an egg.
The major lesson from the above is that when someone close to us is going through severe trials, if you give any advice, he/she may listen to you politely, but inside them, they are upset. We should be slow to give advice to such person under serious pains for he/she need compassion more than he/she needs advice. The Ibo man’s adage says; “‘How are you?’ heals a sick person.” Advice is good but in some severe cases, compassion becomes better. God shows compassion on us, which He renews every morning.
Reflections
- The ministry of Guidance and Counselling is very necessary to guide us.
Prayer
- Dear Holy Spirit, guide me to know the right counsel to give at any time.
Further Reading: Job 4; 5; 15; 22; 8:18; 25; 11; 20; 32-37
ESOCS Devotional 28 October 2026
