By Li Hui
Not long after going abroad, my husband and I did not find suitable jobs because of the differences in life environment and the language barrier. At this juncture, my bank card was lost due to my carelessness. I felt so anxious in my heart and entrusted someone to transact a replacement for me. After that, I still needed to wait for a period of time to get it. When I saw that the end of this month was coming, we fell into a predicament for the rent and living costs. Just when we were worried about the rent of next month, I received the registered letter from bank. It said that my card had already arrived and I needed to fetch it in the bank. Reading this news, I was really happy and thought: As long as I get my card, we will tide over our present difficulty.The next morning, I arrived at the bank and happily showed the registered letter to the clerk. She went to an office where the cards were kept and looked for my card, and then she told me my card was not there. I urgently said, “The registered letter clearly says that my card has already arrived. Why did you say it is not here? I am very anxious to use it.” Then I gestured for her to look for it again. However, the bank clerk didn’t understand me because we didn’t speak the same language. Looking around, what I saw were all strange faces and nobody could help me. I stamped in worry. What should I do? If I didn’t get the bank card, how would I pay the rent? Just when I felt helpless, I thought of these God’s words: “The greatest wisdom is to look to God and rely on God in all things.” It is right! Looking up to and relying on God is the greatest wisdom! I am a believer in God. Why do I not rely on Him? At this moment, I prayed to God in my heart, entrusted Him with the problem I faced, and hoped that He could lead and help me. Regardless of whether it could be done or not, I accepted that it would be orchestrated by the hand of God, and I would be willing to obey God’s orchestration and arrangement. After the prayer, my anxious heart became calm down a lot.
Next, I went to the gate of bank to search for a Chinese people to translate for me. The minutes ticked by; I walked around but still did not find a Chinese people to help me. Helpless, I had to go to an ATM and waited by the side. Just at this moment, I accidently saw a black wallet on the desk near me. I walked over and took a look but found no one around. I wondered whether someone left it after drawing money. I then picked it up and opened it carefully. There were several bank cards and some cash in it. I immediately closed it and my heart raced. I thought: Should I pick it up or not? I truly didn’t know how to deal with it and a battle raged within me: I am short of money now. If I take this wallet, I will not be worried about the rent and living costs of this month. Also, here are several cards; if I can withdraw cash using these cards, then I will not be anxious to find jobs now, and I will have a way out in life. However, if I take possession of this money, does my doing so accord with the decency of a Christian?
Just then, I remembered these words of God: “Since you acknowledge that you are numbered among the house of God, you ought then to bring peace of mind to God and satisfy Him in all things. In other words, you must be principled in your actions and conform to the truth in them.” “Everything that happens to people is when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him. Nothing major has happened to you at the moment, and you do not bear great testimony, but every detail of your daily life relates to the testimony to God. If you can win the admiration of your brothers and sisters, your family members, and everyone around you; if, one day, the unbelievers come, and admire all that you do, and see that all that God does is wonderful, then you will have borne testimony.” God’s intention is to allow me to live out a likeness that a Christian ought to possess, to speak or do things according to His words. The thing I encountered today was the test that God gives me and was also Satan’s wager with God. God wanted to see whether or not I could practice the truth and stand witness through this. Thinking back, when I found this wallet, I was having an internal battle: If I took the wallet, it would not conform with God’s intention; if not, I would be unwilling. Didn’t these all reveal that I had the nature of greed? Didn’t these all reveal that I was living by the satanic philosophies of “Everyone for himself and devil take the hindmost” and “He is a fool if he doesn’t want to take extra advantage?” As a Christian, if I stealthily took the wallet I found, not only did I lose witness before Satan but the condemnation also placed in my conscience. What’s more, even if I got this money and wasn’t worried about my rent and living expenses of this month, yet I would lose my human personality and integrity as a man. So, in this matter, I must practice the truth to satisfy God. Thanks be to God! It is God’s timely enlightenment and guidance that led me not to follow satanic philosophies, and allowed me to overcome Satan’s temptation.
I thought: The owner of this wallet must be anxious to find it now. Then I looked around but found no one seemed to look for something. I thought again: I couldn’t speak the local language, so even if later its owner came here to look for it, I was still incapable of communicating with the owner. Or, I gave the wallet to the clerk? In this case, when its owner came back, the wallet would be given him. Whereupon, I brought a clerk to the place where I found the wallet. Then I pointed to the wallet and waved my hands, which meant that the wallet was not mine. The clerk looked at me in surprise, and said something to me. Although I didn’t understand what he said, I knew he might praise me for giving back the money I found. At this time, the clerk who I showed the registered letter to also came here. After exchanging a few words with him, she walked to me and beckoned me to follow her. When I got to one office with her, she signaled me to wait there. By making gestures, she told me not to be worried and that she would help me to find my card again. Seeing her attitude began to soften much more, I felt moved as well. During waiting in her office, I saw that, one moment she went to this office, another moment she went to another office, and the next moment she went to ask her other workmates. In the end, she found my bank card in one office. She was especially happy and gave it to me. When I held my bank card, I breathed a sigh of relief and was fully relieved. I thanked her and left the bank with delight.
On the way back home, when I recalled the scenes that had just happened, my heart was particularly excited. Although I did not get my bank card at first, yet during the progress of waiting, I got another gain. When the temptation of money happened to me, it was the enlightenment and guidance of God’s words that led me to overcome it and to practice the truth and be an honest man—giving the wallet to the bank clerk. As a result, the clerk’s attitude toward me changed. She no longer cooled off toward me but was enthusiastic about finding my bank card. Thinking about these things, I felt it was really wonderful. When I practiced the truth and stood witness, the unexpected blessing that God gave me was beyond my imagination. I truly saw that God is always at my side and orchestrates everything.
I thought of God’s word: “His deed is everywhere, His power is everywhere, His wisdom is everywhere, and His authority is everywhere.” God’s word is indeed faithful. In my experience, I just felt that God’s authority is practical. Acting in accordance with His word, we will gain His blessings and protection, and obtain more practical knowledge of His authority and sovereignty. Oh, God! From now on I am willing to practice Your word more, and to be a person who fears God and shuns evil. Thank God! All the glory be to God!
