The cry for justice rises from every quarter of human life, and rightly so. Do we not see courts and judgment seats everywhere among men? A master judges his servant, a husbandman and wife settle accounts, a shipmaster governs the crew. In every trade, in every house, the consideration of justice is spread. And shall God, whose ordinance these very tribunals are, make no account of it? His righteousness is as the mountains, unshakeable and sure. If human judges, flawed and limited, seek to put right what is stolen, how much more shall the Judge of all the earth do right? The theft from your account did not escape His eye; He permits such trials not to slumber and forget His word, but to awaken our minds, to stretch forth our hands to heaven.
Yet do not pin your hope merely on the wisdom of this world, on the skill of investigators or the devices of banks. That wisdom, which trusts all to itself, is foolishness with God. He destroys the wisdom of the wise; He takes the clever in their own craftiness. Were the matter left to human reason alone, we might despair, for the robber's tracks are often hidden. But the foolishness of God is wiser than men. He who made the unlettered fishermen confound the philosophers can bring to light what is hidden in darkness. Pray, then, not only for the restoration of the money, but for a wisdom greater than Plato's, the wisdom from above, Christ Himself, who is made unto us wisdom. That wisdom teaches us, even while we suffer loss, to show great consideration, to mingle mercy with the demand for justice. The one who stole is indeed worthy of a greater punishment, yet we are taught to desire not merely his exposure but his correction.
And this is the true mystery of wisdom: that God uses such trials to make us wise and prudent, to raise up those who were worth nothing to the wealth of patience and faith. Your faith must not stand in the wisdom of men, in the mere success of the investigation, but in the power of God. For even if the money is not restored, will you not have gained a greater treasure, a faith refined? The apostles were accounted fools for preaching a crucified Lord, yet that very "ignorance" overcame all worldly opposition. So too, what seems a loss may become the seed of much self-restraint, a proof that your treasure is not bound to earth. Do not hang your head and gape like those who care only for things that decay. Be wakeful in arguments for godliness, and let this trial become an occasion to speak of Christ, the unfailing wealth.
Approach the throne of grace with confidence. Ask that the authorities be given not only sharp eyes but a heart sensitive to the fear of God, for unless He builds the house, the watchmen stay awake in vain. And for yourself, pray that the peace which surpasses all understanding guard your heart. The answer may not come in the way you expect; but whenever it comes, it will display the ineffable power and wisdom of Him who foreordained before the worlds our glory. Stand firm, then, and let this affliction drive you closer to the One who tells His secrets to those who love Him.