25 August | Youth
«Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.» Malachi 3:18
Sometimes it seems that being wicked is more rewarding than being righteous. Have you ever been tempted to give up on doing what is right? Sometimes it seems that the wicked who perpetuates evil is rewarded, and not the righteous who tries to please God. The patriarch Job already wondered about this (Job 21:7). Likewise, the psalmist went as far as to declare: “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence” (Ps 73:13). However, after analyzing carefully, he came to the following conclusion: “But it is good for me to draw near to God” (v. 28). There is no greater blessing than being in the presence of the Lord.
The wicked person’s prosperity does not mean that God blesses them more than the righteous. The wicked seem to do well here because their plans pertain exclusively to this world. They just want to accumulate wealth and take advantage, even if they do so dishonestly. The righteous man, in turn, is passing through here. He is concerned with doing good and reproducing the values of Heaven.
The wicked is insatiable. He lives for pleasure and despises anything that diverts him from his perverted interests. When we take our eyes off Heaven, we can become confused about God's goodness. Why do the wicked prosper? Is the Lord blessing you? These questions come to mind if we do not understand the divine direction of the story and miss the hopeful outcome prepared for those who are faithful.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Malachi made it clear that God never abandons His children and that the great Judge is not inert. “So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. ‘They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him’” (Mal 3:16-17).
Can you see the difference? The righteous are God's personal treasure. He carefully watches over His children. Since He wants the best for us, God often does not give us what we want. He also allows the prosperity of the wicked to reveal even more clearly that wealth without love is worthless and that, in the end, what matters is the hope reserved for those who have faith. At the end of all the confusion in this world, the righteous will receive the reward of eternal life and incomparable wealth, which will never be taken away from them. Keep being righteous! “God knows, God hears and God sees.”