Once, A Rich Man Lost All That He Had. To Support His Family, He Became A Day Laborer, Working Hard From

Once, a rich man lost all that he had. To support his family, he became a day laborer, working hard from dawn until dusk. One day, Elijah appeared to him disguised as an Arab and told him that he was destined to be blessed with a gift of seven prosperous years. “Do you want them now or at the end of your life?” Elijah asked him. “I will ask my wife for advice,” the man replied. … “Ask for them now,” his wife said, “for if we ask for them at the end of our lives, we will know that we have but seven years to live.” … That day, his children uncovered a chest of gold coins while they were digging in their yard. “Let us use this gift wisely,” advised his wife. And so they shared their good fortune generously with those less fortunate. At the end of seven years, Elijah returned to take back his gift. … [The man’s wife advised], “Tell him that if he can find another couple who have used such a gift more wisely than we have, he can have his treasure back.” And though Elijah traveled from one end of the earth to the other, he failed to find two more generous people. And so he never reclaimed his gift, and the couple lived to a ripe old age, opening their hands to all in need until the day they died.

Midrash Zuta Ruth 4:11 (via yidquotes)