Zophar Says, “The Triumph of the Wicked Is Short”
20 Then Zophar the Naamathite [a]answered,
2 “Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me [b]respond,
Even because of my [c]inward agitation.
3 “I listened to the reproof which insults me,
And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
4 “Do you know this from of old,
From the establishment of man on earth,
5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless momentary?
6 “Though his loftiness [d]reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
7 He perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
8 “He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;
Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.
9 “The eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And his place no longer beholds him.
10 “His sons [e]favor the poor,
And his hands give back his wealth.
11 “His bones are full of his youthful vigor,
But it lies down with him [f]in the dust.
Something caught my attention right away here in Zophar’s next rebuttal. In verses 2 and 3, why does Zophar insist on speaking further? He speaks because of “disquieting thoughts” and “inward agitation”. Indeed, Zophar must share his “spirit of understanding” because he feels insulted, and he just can’t hold it in. If you ever feel like that, bite your tongue, you’re about to say something foolish.
Zophar was trying to win an argument with no evidence that Job had done anything the least bit sinful, and goes even further as to call Job wicked. Did he mean to say that? No, I don’t think he really thought Job was wicked, but he got carried away in the moment and said things he didn’t mean. Sound familiar?
Now certainly, there’s a place for speaking truth. If you have a friend who is actually doing something foolish, and you feel like God is prompting you to say something, then do not hold back. Yet do it with all the love and compassion you can muster.
But in any other case, if you’re feeling like you just can’t hold back, think about how it is going to make the other person feel. Are you telling them this because you love them? The truth may not be comfortable, and it may not be well received, at least at first. Even if you’re being prompted by God, it could be a hard conversation. But love should be your motivation, and that was not the case with Zophar. Avoid trying to “win” any argument, as that never ends well for anyone involved. Let God’s love be the foundation for all your words, and you’ll not go far wrong.