Friends and family: the glue that holds our days together. There is nothing more sought after in life than a great friendship. Theologians say we have in our hearts a “God-shaped hole”, creating the search and desire for Him. I believe that in addition, God has created us with a desire for human friendship and companionship. We all have a desire for someone who can share our joys and triumphs as well as our sorrows and pain. When we think of friends we usually think of the great times we have had together. The moments that made our life fulfilling come from family and friends. Because of this strong desire, one of life’s greatest frustrations is when a family member or friend disappoints us. It is the experience we all fear and why many are so guarded in relationships. Failure or rejection by a friend can cause much emotional damage. For the next 30 plus chapters, we not only get to see Job struggle with God’s care and feeding of Job, we get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of friendship. Many lessons are to be learned as we see the interaction of Job, his friends, and Almighty God. We will see much in the way of what to do and even more of what NOT to do. While the next 30 plus chapters have lots of insights on God and His majesty, much of what we will look at will be about how WE can influence others and how WE react to the truth of God and His word as well as the realities of life.Verse 13 says a about Job’s friends. They have come with the right spirit. Job is a hurting friend to whom they want to show comfort and mercy. For the first seven days and seven nights they say NOTHING. WHAT A GREAT LESSON! Many of us have been with a friend or family member within hours or days of a death or other tragedy, and most of us feel at a loss for what to say. The reality is that most of the time nothing needs to be said. Grieving people almost always need most of all just to know that someone is there, and that they care. They need no special advice or lectures, only comfort in the form of your presence. Words do not have to be spoken; Scripture does not have to be read. A hand held or a gentle hug shared are all the “words” necessary. Job’s friends get off to a great start, by showing they are there for Job. Through their silence and presence they have shown him great comfort and sympathy.