There was once a man who had lost all his wealth and became so poor that he had to work for others and tilled the ground for pay.

One day, as he was working in the field, the prophet Elijah came to him and said to the poor man: "You shall have seven good years. When do you wish to have them, in your old age or now?"

The poor man said: "You are a wizard, I have nothing wherewith to pay you."

The next day the prophet Elijah came again and spoke to him in the same way as he had done the day before. The man replied in the same manner. For he believed that the man had spoken as he did with the intention of being paid.

On the third day, he came again and said: "The Lord, blessed be He, says that you shall have seven prosperous years, therefore tell me when you desire to have them, now or, in your old age?"

The poor man, replied: "Please let me go home and consult my wife."

So he went home and told his wife that the old man had come to him three or four days in succession and had told him that he would have seven prosperous years and asked him when he desired to have them. "Therefore, my dear wife, I have come to ask you when we should have them."

The wife replied: "Let us take them now. Therefore go and ask that they be given to you at once."

So the old man returned to the field and the prophet Elijah came and asked him when he desired to have the good years.

He replied: "I like to have them now."

Then the prophet Elijah said: "Go home and you will be satisfied. You will see God's blessing even before you enter your house."

The children of the man had meanwhile been rummaging in the dirt and found enough money to last them seven years. So they called the mother and showed her the treasure; and before her husband reached the house, the wife came to meet him and told him what had happened. Then they both praised God for the gift which He had bestowed upon them and felt very happy.

What did the pious woman do? She said to her husband: "God has been very merciful to us, and has given us enough to live for seven years. We will also show loving-kindness and give charity to the poor out of our money during the seven years. Perchance God will have mercy upon us and will grant us further blessing."

They carried out their intention and were benevolent to other people. Every day, as she spent some money, she said to her youngest son: "My dear son, write down what we have spent of our money." And the son wrote it down.

When the end of the seven years drew near, the prophet Elijah came to the old man and said to him: "The time has come when I must take back what I have given you, I will therefore take the money away."

The old man replied: "I will not give you the money without my wife's leave, as I refused to accept it except with her consent."

So he went to his wife and said: "The old man has come and desires to have all the money that he has given us."

So she said to him: "Go and say to the old man that if he can find other people more trustworthy than we are and wishes to take the money which has been left with us in trust and give it to those people, he can have it."

But God heard her words and saw the acts of charity which she had performed. Therefore He added more to the money which they had, in order to fulfill the words of Scripture: "And the work of charity is perfect" (Is. 32.17). Therefore no man should rely on any wealth that he may possess, for the Lord can easily take it away from him. But He can also give it, as happened to this poor man. One should always rely on God, praised be His holy name. Amen.