Job 6:6 “Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg?”

TASTELESS

What a strange verse!  In this chapter of Job, Eliphaz has just finished rebuking Job, and now Job is responding.  But why did he say this?  Salt and eggs?  Really?  What is he trying to say?

Many commentators believe Job is saying that his suffering must be accompanied with grieving or lamentations, just like salt must accompany food to give it flavor.  Perhaps that is it.  We can’t be sure.  But we do know that every Word of God is meant to teach us, right?    Certain things are meant to go together.  When we suffer, it is natural to grieve.  That’s okay.

TEACHING MOMENT

So here is a challenge for you. How do you teach this truth to your children?  The next time you are boiling eggs for something, show your children the egg white.  Let them taste it (if they don’t have an egg allergy, lol).  Let them see how tasteless it is.  Then read this passage to them.  They will probably be amazed this verse is even in the Bible.

Then explain the meaning of the verse to them.  It is not about an egg white being tasteless.  It’s all about how, even in a simple illustration like this, God’s Word points us to another truth.  Certain things are meant to go together.  It’s okay to be sad when bad things happen.  It’s okay to cry.  But we can’t stay there.  We have to allow the Lord to be our Healer.

Are you living a tasteless life?  Are you so down and depressed that the whole world seems without flavor?  God does not want you to stay in that place.  Yes, we are flesh, and we respond emotionally to events in our lives.  But we have a God Who cares deeply for us.  He gives us the flavor we need to keep living.  He gives us the salt for those tasteless times.  After all, don’t you like a little salt on your food?  Let God supply it for you.