Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
Problems have always existed and will always be part of life. There are two reasons for this. Problems either make or mar a person, institutions, family, nation, religious organization. Also, problems are as diverse as people and ethnic groups are diverse. This implies that about everyone, family, community, institution and nation experience problems.
However, there is a problem experienced by the vast majority of people globally. It is the problem of insufficient to absolutely no money. This is a global problem which prompted multilateral agencies and governments of different nations to adopt poverty mitigation measures, some of which were successfully implemented and are success stories as well as global best practices. Yet the problem of financial poverty still stares a good number of people in the face.
It is also ironic that money stands in front of people, besides people, stares at them, smiles at them, beckons to them; and sometimes literally pulls them, tugs at them, even begs them to come grab him; yet the vast majority of people spend a lifetime looking for money who is patiently knocking at their doors and waiting for them to just open the door; even slightly so that he can come in; take up residence and settle down with them permanently.
The biblical case of the widow of the indebted prophet is a
classic example. She always had jars of oil in the house; and her husband probably
also had other skills besides being a prophet and the son of a prophet. Yet
they lived what I dare to call a financially irresponsible life. The man
borrowed and kept borrowing until eventually he died leaving behind an
undesirable inheritance of a huge pile of debts which had mortgaged the lives
and destinies of his two sons to debt bondage or slavery. That is to say his
two sons would serve their father’s creditor until the creditor decided that
the debts were fully paid for. What a life!
The thought of what her two sons would experience as debt slaves frightened the poor widow (who would be forced to live alone, probably not setting eyes on her sons except at the mercy of the creditor) and compelled her to review the financially irresponsible life of debts they had lived. Suddenly it dawned on her that the situation could be redeemed. But she had no idea how which to an extent is great. How, you may ask?
It drove her to request help of God through the prophet of
God, Elisha. What great divine direction as the meeting with the prophet opened
her eyes of understanding to the huge deposits of money in that family, money
they had taken for granted but which was always there with them in jars of oil
but which at that moment had diminished to only a little jar of oil.
Beloved, this calls for a little comparative analysis and
creative thinking. The unnamed virtuous woman of Proverbs Chapter 31 was a
fashion designer and agriculturist. She owned a vineyard bought with money made
from designing clothes which she wisely sold to merchants who could pay for her
skill. She did not sell to family members, friends, neighbors and Church
members who either lacked the capacity to pay or willingness to pay. Also quite
significant and instructive is the fact that about every young woman could sew clothes
just as every young man then could farm – plant crops and tend domestic
animals. But the unnamed virtuous woman took her sewing skills way beyond making
clothes for her family members and friends to a business which not only supplemented
the family income but grew the family income exponentially so that they owned a
vineyard which brought in additional income.
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