Emiri:
In this week’s Bible reading Job wasn’t swayed by what his friends around him said. He strongly had hope in God and believed that he was innocent even if his friends continually kept on saying that he was in the wrong, he knew he wasn’t and kept firm. Applying this to my life it is important to not be swayed by what others say or do when you know something is not right. This week in tennis the opponents forgot their score and my partner tried to hide the score. I told her that it was wrong but she kept on pushing me that it was their responsibility for not tracking the score so I didn’t retaliate as much since I wasn’t confident of the count as well, but after the match, I did a recount, and she did hide it. Though they won the set I should have stood more firmly on what I knew was right like Job rather than letting it slide.
むかい：
今回の聖書朗読で学んだことは、ヨブ記15章の5.6節の「それは、あなたの咎があなたの口に教え、あなたが悪賢い舌を選んでいるからだ。
あなたの口があなたの不義を定める。私ではない。あなたの唇が、あなたの不利な証言をする」
このところで、この部分では自分の罪が自分の口から発せられると私は思います。
自分で放った言葉はそれが罪の言葉であるならば、他の人にも罪が移ってします。そして、ここでは自分では唇が変わらず、無意識で変わってしまうため、普段の生活で自分の咎が生まれてこないように日頃から神様に委ねていきながら、自分の発する言葉に気をつけていき生活していきます。
Tomas:
This week’s Bible reading, I learned about Job and his friends who continued to scold Job in a bad way. Applying this to my life, Job’s friends are like an example of someone to be to my friends, family members, and others since I wouldn’t know what problems they have, similar to how Job was struggling with everything going on in the Bible.
Timothy:
In chapter 13, Job asks, “Will you speak wickedly on God’s behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God? (7-8). Instead of comforting Job, the friends start to argue with them on behalf of God, and Job calls them “worthless physicians” (13:4) and “miserable comforters” (16:2). In chapter 19, Job says if the roles were switched, Job could disagree and “make fine speeches against” the one who is suffering, but will still encourage and comfort them (16:4-5). Applying this to my life, whenever someone’s having trouble with something, even if I disagree, I should try to comfort them. It is not my job to judge and argue, but God’s; I shouldn’t speak on behalf of him.
Jun re: Emiri:
Good specific example, Emiri.👍 It is interesting that the right team did end up winning.
He strongly had hope in God and believed that he was innocent even if his friends continually kept on saying that he was in the wrong, he knew he wasn’t and kept firm.
Yes, good point. But why was he able to do so? We often think of holding on to our faith as a sheer test of will and perseverance, but actually, the hidden strength of each person’s faith is in his or her daily life and how faithful he/she has been in doing God’s will (often in the little things). If we know we have not been doing or saying what we should have, it is impossible to have faith.
Jun re: Tomas:
Try to go beyond the surface level of what is written. Ask God what he wants to teach you as you read each chapter. There should be a new discovery each week—you will know when that happens, because you will sense your spirit and soul getting excited. Actively seek that out.
As I wrote to others, be specific in your applications. You should be writing about something that actually happened to you or is going on in your life right now.
Jun re: Timothy:
Applying this to my life, whenever someone’s having trouble with something, even if I disagree, I should try to comfort them.
Give at least one specific example! What kind of trouble? What did you disagree with them about? How did you comfort them?
Since you guys usually don’t write specifically when it comes to applications, I need to guess what you mean and what kinds of things you guys are experiencing or facing in life. You should be providing this information so my replies can be succinct and helpful to you. Otherwise, I can only reply in a general way, which is not really helpful to anyone.
Some common examples that come to mind are when kids complain about how teachers or parents are treating them (or how difficult a test was), or something similar to what Emiri wrote about this week (her tennis partner wanted to hide the opponents’ score). In all of these cases, it is your conscience prompting you to disagree with them and it would be wrong (a sin) to remain silent, let alone comfort them.
It is not my job to judge and argue, but God’s; I shouldn’t speak on behalf of him.
Be very careful about painting in broad strokes. God very often does require that we speak on behalf of him. In fact, if Christians remain silent, how do you expect God to speak to non-Christians?
It is true that we should not judge, but be careful how you define the word “judge.” For example, Proverbs 31:9 says “speak up and judge fairly.” Lev 5:1 says, “if anyone sins because they do not speak up regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.” Or that quote from Esther that you all liked, “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise from another place”…imagine if Esther had felt bad for Haman and tried to comfort him?
As a general piece of advice, I would say at your age, it much more vital to learn to speak up, rather than trying to comfort or encourage others. Comforting / encouraging is much more difficult and requires age and experience. Someone who is spiritually below cannot comfort or encourage those above. Jobs’ 3 friends would not have been able to comfort or encourage Job, even if they had wanted to.
As you continue to read, you will see that there is a 4th friend who appears. He is the only friend who is not condemned by God later on. But he definitely does not try to comfort Job, and you could say he does “judge” Job, too. But God does not condemn him. Why?
Jun re: Mukai:
毎回具体性が全然ないよ。どうしてみんな具体的に書けないのかな？自分の人生と全然関係ないところで、「聖書の勉強」しても意味ないです！
自分で放った言葉は
例えばどういう言葉を放ってるんですか？
他の人にも罪が移ってします。
他の人って？罪がうつるんですか？どうやって、何が？
無意識で変わってしまうため、
無意識に変わっちゃうの？例えば、どのように？
神様に委ねていきながら、自分の発する言葉に気をつけて
なぜ神様に委ねるのですか？自分が発してる言葉なら、自分が変えるしかないです。