Day Fifteen – Chapter 15

“Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, ‘should a wise man answer with windy knowledge and fill himself with the east wind? Should he argue with useless talk, or with words which are not profitable? Indeed, you do away with reverence and hinder meditation before God. For your guilt teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; and your own lips testify against you’” (15:1-6).

Though Job does not sin or blame God, nothing of what he has said has made any difference to Eliphaz. Eliphaz is seemingly determined to drive home his point that Job must be guilty and even suggests that Job’s own words prove it. I don’t think there is anything more annoying to me than a person more entrenched in their particular perspective that anything said only serves to prove their point. Rather than seeing any flaw in either their perspectives or even their actions, every word is confirmation that they are in the right. Eliphaz fits comfortably into this behavior. His critique of Job is so irreverent that he arrogantly accuses Job of expelling “windy knowledge.”

It is difficult to hold on to your confidence when everyone around you sees only fault in you. It is exhausting to have to continually defend yourself against baseless actions, but sometimes in order to press your way through whatever situation in which you find yourself that is precisely what you may have to do. One of the things I learned long ago is that there is always a certain amount of truth in every criticism, so in your defense affirm the truth in the criticism while avoiding being argumentative. It is a skill called ‘fogging.’ One simply affirms whatever shred of truth in the criticism they can without engaging in any kind of debate. It sounds simple, but it is difficult because doing so means crucifying your flesh and getting past your ego. No one likes to critique particularly when they are confident of the lack of fault and blame on their part, and as consequence our normal reaction to criticism is simply to react.

Today change your way of responding. Try ‘fogging’ instead. If they dislike your attire affirm the truth that you could have always wore better clothing. It will completely disarm them, diffuse the situation, and enable you to silence your critics without either agreeing or arguing with them. Try it; it works.

Dear Lord, there are days when people really bother me. Though they believe they are being helpful, I find them insensitive, unkind and even disrespectful. My first inclination is to give in to my flesh and argue which only inflames the situation and adds to my suffering. Teach me today to diffuse those situations that have the potential of turning ugly. Give me the resources to positively control my anger so that rather than grieving Your heart and wounding my witness, I bring honor and glory to your name. This I humbly ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.