Remember that ‘shoe lady’ from the Philippines? Yes, it was Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines who burst onto our 1986 TV screens and into our conversations about her rather excessive shoe collection. It was then that she and her family fled the country and sought political asylum in Hawaii. Left behind in their Malacañang Palace were 15 mink coats, 508 gowns, 888 handbags, and 3000 pairs of shoes. But this was all just a drop in the bucket when compared to the literally untold millions of USA dollars the Marcos family amassed through corruptive practices. As I write this, Imelda is still alive. Now, before I go on, I must dispel a myth. Imelda Marcos was no trophy-wife-dummy. She was highly intelligent and an exceptionally skillful political figure. But I wonder if she looks back over her 91 years and feels any sense of regret. Because, realistically, all that influence, talent and money was wasted. How many lives could have been blessed by it? We somethimes ask why God allows these people to ransack countries of their wealth? I don’t know, but I know God knows best. When Habakkuk asked God why He was going to allow the Babylonians, who were ten times worse than Israelites, to overthrow and exile Israel, God simply answered: “But the righteous will live by faith” (Hab.2:4). Imelda Marcos did nothing compared to the evils of a Nebuchadnezzar, but she, like Babylon, and every other greedy statesman, followed the same path of acquisition. In a series of ‘Woes’ against Babylon, God starts with this one: “Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion” (Hab.2:6). Lest I be accused of having a judgmental spirit toward a frail old lady, let me finish with three thoughts: 1. She is still, as I speak, unrepentant, and passing herself off as too sick to go on with a trail; 2. Yes, we will all be judged by the same standard, and ‘Unless we repent, we will all likewise perish (Lk.13:3); and 3. While Imelda, you and I have breath in us, God is still offering us mercy…for the asking—A thought worth sharing!
0 Comments