“Happiness doesn’t depend on how much you have to enjoy but how much you enjoy what you have.”
Reuben was an officer in a firm. He was honest, diligent and above all God-fearing. His colleagues loved him. Reuben’s wife, Sarah was the very opposite; her desire for the worldly things were endless. Reuben’s lawful income could not satisfy her. Not realizing her husband’s financial limitation, she would press him to buy her the costliest objects which appeared on the counter of the jewelry shop, sari shop and so on.
Sarah boasted of the status of her parents, “How well I was looked after by my parents! How great my father’s family is! How many servants work in my father’s household!” Such words broke Reuben’s heart. Sarah also criticized Reuben in the presence of every visitor to their house. Reuben used to quote from the Bible saying, “Sarah, in Luke 3:14 it says… be content with your wages. Proverbs 15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure with trouble. ”
Sarah’s quarrelling, irritating and complaining nature made Reuben to backslide. The Bible says, “Every wise woman builds her house. But the foolish one pulls it down with her own hands.” (Proverbs 14:1) Sarah’s nature made Reuben to take bribe and to steal money from the office funds. Sarah encouraged him saying, “You are doing their work, so no harm in taking extra money.”
The Bible says, “The house of the wicked will be overthrown.”(Proverbs 14:11)
Vigilance officers were made to investigate as they found that the office funds were fraudulently misappropriated and the clients complained about bribing. Reuben was caught red handed for taking bribe. The colleagues were perplexed by the answer given by Reuben. The reason was that he did it all for his wife, Sarah. The bribe takers and bribe givers are both offenders in the eyes of the law. Proverbs 17:23…. A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back to pervert the way of justice. The ultimate result was that the entire family was plunged into misery!
The Bible says, ‘The blessing of the Lord makes one rich and adds no sorrow with it.’ (Proverbs 10:22)
The Lord deliberately refuses to grant such wishes of ours to live luxurious and ostentatious lives and saves us from destruction out of His fatherly love. Have you unknowingly let the devil capture your heart? Set it right by His grace and Jesus will be glad to listen to your request and bring you out of every difficult situation. “But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight and a good blessing will come upon them.” (Proverbs 24:25)
Latha Esther
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