Job’s Friends: Competency

The book of Job provides an interesting dialogue between Job, the client and the comforters. Many of us have heard the phrase “Job’s comforters.” But there are some positive lessons on therapeutic practices by Job’s friends.  When the friends first heard of Job’s suffering they “went to see him, they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.” (2:12-13) The friends seemed comfortable to sit with Job in his suffering, at least for seven days. Carl Rogers would be proud. So would the religious order the Quakers, who believe if you can’t improve on the silence don’t say anything. There are lessons for us here, as so often as therapists we want to fill the silence, we feel a need to fix or fill the space.

But after the seven days the friends change their approach. They spend the rest of the book of Job trying to rationalize and attempt to make sense of suffering. The friends don't understand why bad things have happened to good people and, in the end,

they alienate Job by confronting, blaming and challenging him.  Their care and concern angered Job and he says  “how long will you torment me and crush me with your words?” (19:1-2)  Ouch.

The topic of competency came to mind this week as I was reflecting on Job and viewing Titanic artefacts. Interestingly, Captain Edward Smith’s marine experience wasn’t all it needed to be as he sailed the Titanic on her maiden voyage. The results are haunting. There is much to be learned from history.