**The Tale of the Wise Merchant and the Foolish Son**
In the bustling city of Shechem, nestled between the rolling hills of Ephraim, there lived a wealthy merchant named Eliab. Eliab was known far and wide for his wisdom, generosity, and fear of the Lord. His wealth was not merely in gold and silver but in the favor of God and the respect of his neighbors. He often meditated on the words of King Solomon, particularly the proverb that said, *”Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool”* (Proverbs 19:1). Eliab took these words to heart, striving always to live with honesty and humility.
Eliab had a son named Reuben, who was the apple of his eye. Reuben, however, was not like his father. He was impulsive, hot-tempered, and prone to laziness. Though Eliab had taught him the ways of wisdom, Reuben often ignored his father’s counsel, preferring the company of flatterers and the allure of fleeting pleasures. He despised discipline and scoffed at correction, much to Eliab’s sorrow.
One day, Eliab called Reuben to his side. The merchant’s face was lined with concern as he spoke. “My son, the Lord has blessed us abundantly, but wealth without wisdom is like a ship without a rudder. It will lead only to destruction. Listen to my words and heed the instruction of the Lord. *’Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way’* (Proverbs 19:2). Do not rush after riches or the approval of fools. Seek first the Lord, and all else will be added to you.”
Reuben nodded impatiently, his mind already wandering to the festivities planned for that evening. He had no interest in his father’s tedious lectures. “Yes, Father,” he said dismissively, “I will remember your words.” But in his heart, he had already dismissed them.
Not long after, Reuben fell in with a group of young men who were known for their reckless behavior. They spent their days gambling, drinking, and squandering their inheritances. Reuben, eager to prove himself, began to join them in their folly. He squandered his allowance on frivolous pursuits and neglected his duties at home. His father’s warnings echoed faintly in his mind, but he drowned them out with laughter and wine.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the city, Reuben and his companions gathered in the marketplace. A traveling merchant had set up a booth, offering rare trinkets and exotic goods. Among the items was a finely crafted dagger, its hilt adorned with precious stones. Reuben’s eyes gleamed with desire. “How much for the dagger?” he asked, his voice tinged with greed.
The merchant, a shrewd man with a calculating gaze, named an exorbitant price. Reuben hesitated, knowing he did not have the money. But his companions egged him on. “Come now, Reuben,” one of them sneered, “are you not the son of Eliab, the richest man in Shechem? Surely you can afford this trifle.”
Blinded by pride and the desire to impress, Reuben agreed to the price. He promised to pay the merchant the following day, though he had no idea how he would obtain the funds. That night, he tossed and turned, his mind racing with schemes. In the morning, he crept into his father’s treasury and stole a handful of gold coins. His heart pounded with guilt, but he silenced it with the thought of the dagger’s beauty.
When Eliab discovered the theft, his heart broke. He confronted Reuben, his voice heavy with sorrow. “My son, what have you done? *’The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death’* (Proverbs 19:9). You have traded your integrity for a trinket. Repent, I beg you, before it is too late.”
But Reuben hardened his heart. “You are too strict, Father,” he retorted. “I am young, and I deserve to enjoy my life. Why should I listen to you?”
Eliab sighed deeply, his eyes filled with tears. “Because, my son, *’whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die’* (Proverbs 19:16). I love you too much to watch you destroy yourself.”
Reuben stormed out of the house, refusing to listen. For weeks, he continued in his reckless ways, until one fateful day, his folly caught up with him. He and his companions were caught stealing from a caravan on the outskirts of the city. The guards seized them and brought them before the magistrate. Reuben’s companions, eager to save themselves, blamed him for the crime. The magistrate, unmoved by Reuben’s pleas, sentenced him to a year of hard labor.
As Reuben toiled under the scorching sun, his heart began to change. He remembered his father’s words and the life he had thrown away. One night, as he lay on the cold, hard ground, he wept bitterly and cried out to the Lord. “Forgive me, O God, for I have been a fool. I have despised my father’s instruction and brought shame upon his name. Have mercy on me, a sinner.”
In time, Reuben completed his sentence and returned home. His father, though aged and weary, welcomed him with open arms. “My son,” Eliab said, his voice trembling with emotion, “I have prayed for this day. *’Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand’* (Proverbs 19:21). The Lord has disciplined you because He loves you. Now, let us rebuild what was broken.”
From that day forward, Reuben walked in wisdom and humility. He worked diligently alongside his father, earning back the trust he had lost. And though he bore the scars of his past, he also carried the lessons of grace and redemption. For he had learned that *”the fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm”* (Proverbs 19:23).
And so, the tale of Eliab and Reuben became a testament to the enduring truth of God’s Word—a reminder that wisdom is more precious than gold, and that the Lord’s discipline, though painful, yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.
