Job 8:1-22 - Bildad "comforts" Job. Notice how Bildad's "pious speech" makes him overly confident about knowing God's ways. He's not entirely wrong about God and justice, but he fails to see the mysteries of God. We still make this mistake when we try to explain why bad stuff happens. The glaring examples are when idiots say that a community or nation is suffering because of some specific sin. But even on the smaller scale we are more comfortable with suffering if we can explain it. When a quiet neighbor is revealed as a murderer, are first impulse is to clamor for an explanation. Bildad is doing the same with Job. The reality is that we cannot explain why some suffer and others do not. And even more mind-boggling is the innocent suffering and death of the only one who is without sin.
John 4:27-45 - Verses 39-42: "Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
The woman's personal testimony serves as an introduction to the truth about Jesus. It is a powerful testimony, but ultimately the people lean not on the woman's words about Jesus, but on Christ himself.
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