But I recently heard the story of Nachum Ish Gamzu, and I’ve changed my perspective on things. Nachum was a Jewish rabbi in the first century known for having unyielding optimism in the face of misfortune. He got his nickname “Gamzu” from a Hebrew phrase that he was known for uttering, “gam zu le-tovah,” which means “this, too, is for the best.”
There is a famous story of Nachum being sent on a mission by the Jews to the Roman emperor to deliver a treasure of great wealth to convince him to rethink a law that was detrimental to them. On the way, Nachum stopped at an inn for the night. The innkeeper and his son stole the treasure from Nachum and replaced it with sand. When Nachum delivered the box to the emperor, he opened it and was furious at the disrespect the Jews had shown him. He had Nachum thrown into prison, but all he said was “gam zu le-tovah,” believing that God would use this for good.
Later that evening, Elijah appeared before the emperor and said, “Surely you do not think the Jews would make fun of you and send you ordinary sand. Maybe it’s the kind that their father Abraham used to defeat his enemies at war? It has been told that Abraham threw handfuls of sand against his enemies that turned into swords and deadly arrows. Maybe it’s that secret weapon. Wouldn’t it be advisable to test this sand that the Jews sent you?”
The emperor was currently fighting a war against the barbarians, so he sent the sand to his generals and ordered them to try it against the enemy. And by a miracle, it thwarted the barbarians and sent them fleeing in terror. The emperor released Nachum, changed the law, and filled his own wooden box with jewels and gold from his treasury.
As he was on his way back home, he stopped at the same inn. Upon hearing of his story, the innkeeper asked him what he gave the emperor that had granted such favor. Nachum said, “Only what I carried from here.” So, the innkeeper and his son dug up their entire property and took the dirt to the emperor. They said, “This is the same dirt that the Jew brought, only we have brought more to make yo even happier!” The emperor tried the dirt from the innkeeper, but no miracle happened this time. So, the emperor ordered the innkeeper and his son to be hung and their bodies buried with the same dirt they had brought with them.
When Nachum heard what happened, he shrugged and said, “gam zu le-tovah.”
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Romans 8:18
“Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.”
Colossians 3:2
“The afflictions of the righteous are many, but the Lord rescues him from them all.”
Psalms 34:19
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