FC與我也曾認為約伯記中3位朋友與約伯的對話佔了太多篇幅。但3位朋友與約伯的對話及旁觀者的辯述也有其重要之處。我們有否以朋友與親朋般忍耐約伯，又有否以受苦者的感受忍耐別人，單一的仰望神。
在常理之內三位朋友及旁觀者的態度極對，但以輔導的角度看，三位朋友在開始時默然陪了約伯7天是極對了。
當約伯說到親朋太太因他的病痛厭棄他時也有同感。
伯19:17 我口的氣味，我妻子厭惡；我的懇求，我同胞也憎嫌，
香港住处，樓下的鄰居，養一隻大的長毛狗，數年前見牠行樓梯都畏懼，而牠的体味很利害，最近更嚴重，當打開电梯門而他們未入LIFT，便嚊到惡臭，關門時，他們無入LIFT，但臭氣歷久不散。
FC與我互表不滿，但不了了之，第二天管理處貼上「寵物發異味」的告示。究其原因是「長毛狗」是有重病，以致身体發臭。
詩38:5 因我的愚昧，我的傷發臭流膿。
詩38:6 我疼痛，大大拳曲，終日哀痛。
詩38:7 我滿腰是火；我的肉無一完全。
詩38:8 我被壓傷，身體疲倦；因心裡不安，我就唉哼。
約伯的苦况，有誰体会，有誰耐心的在一個「發臭流膿」的人身边，默默支持他。
人到此境，自閉有何出奇呢？
I agree how uneasy we could walk and support those people in the terminal stage of illness. If we have chance to go to visit the patients in palliative care, we could easily smell the stinky odour emitted from the corrupted deadly body.... However, do we have the heart of kindness and mercy to take care, comfort dying patients in the love of the God.
回覆刪除I have to say, I get such chance and it is always the challenge of true love to approach, accept and talk with them. Do we know they are in their final stage of life and their life is still treasured by the Lord Jesus Christ? If we say we wish to testify and illustrate the love of God, it is the face to face and heart to heart opportunity for us to do so in the heart of Jesus Christ for the lost and the weakness.
I thank and praise the Lord that I am not strong and willing enough to do it but I do it in the love, grace, power and belief of the Jesus Christ for the lost soul as well as those in weakness... Whenever I do it, I mediate and pray, “Jesus loves me with His Sacrifice of life. I have not yet up that stage but just to share the God’s love with our little helping hands and words of encouragement. God saves me and God helps me to do it in His Name and Grace.”
以 賽 亞 書 Isaiah
49:14 But Zion said, The Lord has given me up, I have gone from his memory.
49:15 Will a woman give up the child at her breast, will she be without pity for the fruit of her body? yes, these may, but I will not let you go out of my memory.
49:16 See, your name is marked on my hands; your walls are ever before me.
49:14 錫 安 說 、 耶 和 華 離 棄 了 我 、 主 忘 記 了 我 。
49:15 婦 人 焉 能 忘 記 他 喫 奶 的 嬰 孩 、 不 憐 恤 他 所 生 的 兒 子 ． 即 或 有 忘 記 的 、 我 卻 不 忘 記 你 。
49:16 看 哪 、 我 將 你 銘 刻 在 我 掌 上 、 你 的 牆 垣 常 在 我 眼 前 。
Peter
面對臭氣是一個例子。
回覆刪除面對垂危的病人，因所遇見的病痛更會体會/貼他們。
面對發臭留膿的病人，是難以擁抱；但假若為基督的緣故或者有敢作的。那是出於不是自己，乃是基督。
林後4:7 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裡，要顯明這莫大的能力是出於神，不是出於我們。