“Pay attention, Job, and listen…” Job 33:31a

Elihu pressed Job further with the words above. He advised Job to remain silent and listen to his words… words that would teach the elderly wisdom (vv. 31&33). We’ve already seen the hurdles Elihu had to overcome to even address his elders – village leaders and those recognized with having wisdom from the ages. For Elihu to assert himself so would have been another significant hurdle he had to overcome.

There was something different in Elihu’s approach: he invited Job to answer any point made about him, for it was Elihu’s intention to clear Job’s name (v.32) If Job had nothing to say during Elihu’s presentation, he was asked to be silent and listen to receive wisdom from Elihu.

As a toddler, our oldest daughter would often climb up into my lap, take my face between her hands, turn my head so that we were face to face, and say, “Pay attention, Daddy, and listen to me.” Children have a way of knowing just what to say to get what they want. In her way of thinking, the surest way to receive my undivided attention was to take matters in to her own hands… literally! I may have been reviewing a piece of music, reading a book, or even watching a TV program, but she would take no excuses for the apparent inattention I was giving her.

Now, Elihu was no toddler, however, he used a similar tactic. Once he had stated the obvious about being too intimidated to speak before his elders, he must have gritted his teeth and proceeded with the resolve to expect the same respect and attention as the visitors and Job gave to each other. It took Elihu the entire thirty-third chapter to prime the pump of wisdom and get the attention of his elders who may have summarily dismissed him otherwise.

This was Elihu’s second plea for Job to acknowledge his right and ability to speak (see 33:1). In their time, an age which respected the elderly and attended to those sages of wisdom who effectively delivered the much sought-after product, the efforts Elihu had made up to this point were necessary courtesies for gaining the right to present before what may have been a growing audience. What does this teach us today?

Our lives are a spectacle for all the world to see. It’s becoming more so with each additional social network one may access over the world wide web. How are we to get the attention of a world gone crazy with self-fulfillment, self-indulgences, and self-satisfaction? Elihu’s example of waiting for his turn to speak while acknowledging the scope of his audience provides a basis for us to approach this virtual world and assert our right to speak. It was not pushy, it was respectful while risking a foot in the door. Often a foot in the door may get the door slammed on it!

Are we ready to step into the arena of dialogue while demonstrating respect for others opinions? It actually is a good practice… for then we just might be able to say, “Pay attention, world, and listen!” In this day of dealing with the seriousness of COVID-19, earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars, natural disasters and such, we may have the best time in history to speak and plead for all to consider the possibility of how God may be trying to get our attention.

Have a blessed day…