"Just Shut Up!"

We were - in my Oregon home - not allowed to say these words to other family members, and neither were they used by us or our three children. They just seem so crude...and depersonalizing.

But in this instance it was probably appropriate because Job's three acquaintances (I refuse to call them "friends") repeatedly spewed unjustified and mean-spirited criticisms against his character. In exasperation he told them in essence "to just shut up!".

I love Job - especially as he replies to these three deprecating men (SEE Job 16:4 & 5), "I also could speak as you do: if you were in my place, I could heap up accusing words against you. I also could scold you and shake my head at you. But I would not do this to a friend. I would strengthen and encourage you and do anything I could to relieve your grief".

And I love his logic! as he gives them a superb reason for telling them "to just shut up!". (SEE Job 13:5, and this is my paraphrasing) "Your refusing to continue talking would show how wise you are". This is really good advice for most of us!

I know the man was horribly suffering, but I cannot read this - ever - without grinning...even laughing...maybe even smirking...maybe even mentally applauding!

As usual, with this kind of arrogant person, Job may as well have saved his breath. It only fueled their brains with blather. They did not get it because they were too filled with their own importance and too blind to their own ignorance. They were not only short on wisdom but on compassion as well.

In this regard, one of my favorite disciplines is set down by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:29, and I quote:
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (building up; erecting), that it may minister grace unto the hearers".

Heman, the "he-man"

Heman was an unusual fellow, had an unusual job with an unusual family. He - with two other men, Asaph and Jeduthun - were three chosen leaders to head up King David's music department of 288 persons. They were the original teams of vocalists and musicians established by David to publicly praise and honor God in a practiced, ordered manner.

As mentioned already, Heman was one of the three men whose sole, full-time, paid job was to train and practice these 288 musicians. Oddly, there was no "selection process" as we would generally expect, for all of them were "born into" their special, musically gifted responsibilities.

If you were a son or a daughter of Asaph, Jeduthun or Heman, you were expected - and trained - from early childhood to sing and/or play a musical instrument, and eventually participate in public worship music.

Some might think: "How could this be? Some individuals cannot keep time or carry a tune in a bucket". This is easy for me to accept, having been born into the J. C. Wise family (my maternal grandfather). All seven children - five girls and two boys - could sing beautifully and play just about any musical instrument they wanted to or were asked to. But, more importantly, as the Scriptures often relates, God especially gifted these biblical musicians to perform their specialized tasks.

So, what made Heman a "he-man"? If you were to read 1 Chronicles 25:4-7, it would quickly become apparent. Heman had fourteen sons and three daughters, and I took the liberty to edit their long names a bit. Buck, Matt, Uzi, Sheb, Jerry, Hank, Hans, Eli, Giddi, Rom, Josh, Mel, Hoss, Mac, Shari, Judi and Hanah.

Just think of it! 17 children with Dad and Mom would compose either a small orchestra or very large combo within just one family! Heman was a real "he-man", and his wife, Carlene, not too shabby either!

(I gave the women names. They did have them, you know). WLB