Elisha said, “I wonder how I can be of help. Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Nothing,” she said. “Well, I do have a little oil.” “Here’s what you do,” said Elisha. “Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls from all your neighbors. And not just a few—all you can get. Then come home and lock the door behind you, you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when each is full, set it aside.” She did what he said. She locked the door behind her and her sons; as they brought the containers to her, she filled them. When all the jugs and bowls were full, she said to one of her sons, “Another jug, please.” He said, “That’s it. There are no more jugs.” Then the oil stopped. — 2 Kings 4:1-6
A widow owed someone money and the man was on his way to take her two sons as payment for her debt. Elisha responds with a question that I’m sure she didn’t see how it connected to her problem. “What do you have in your house? Nothing but a little oil.” The amount of oil was so insignificant to her that she didn’t recognize the geyser she had in her house.
Elisha didn’t cap the number of jugs but encouraged her to get as many as possible because he knew something that she didn’t– The oil would have kept flowing had she not run out of containers. The woman, like me, had her eyes on her current amount of oil and not on the unseen faith amount that she had in her presence. So did the widow dream big enough? So often we limit ourselves based on our resources and beliefs rather then on an infinite God of unlimited resources who loves us much.
We’ve seen this principle throughout the Bible;
- God multiplied a boy’s lunch of fish & loaves to feed 5,000 with leftovers
- God used an old barren 100 year old woman, well past her child-bearing years, to multiply nations
- God took 12 non-bible scholars to launch a ministry 2000 years ago
The widow learned that God takes what we offer Him—even the little things—and He multiplies it and uses it in amazing big ways. In fact, I believe that many times we think too small. We don’t factor in God’s power and so we don’t attempt great things for Him. There is no problem or need which God cannot meet if we will simply trust and obey Him. The real issue is not the problem but our response to the Lord in the face of problems. God uses our little to do much when we place it into His hands with faith and obedience.
Question |
How can you add faith to the little you have in your current situation?