The widow’s response is, “your servent has nothing here at all, except a little oil.”
Elisha’s response to the window is interesting. He tells her to gather jars from her neighbors, then proceeds to bless the oil and pour it into the jars. The oil stops flowing when all the jars are filled, enough jars for her to pay off her debts and live off the remainder.
What would have happened if the widow had gathered twice the amount of jars? What could the widow have done to show more people God’s love if she had gathered more jars?
Do we put God into a box by asking for small things, like filling 2 or 3 jars, or do we believe him for the big things, like filling millions of jars?
In the New Testament, Jesus preaches to thousands and has compassion on them for they were hungry.
The disciples tell Jesus to send the people away before it gets late so they can get food. Jesus tells them, “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:37). I laugh thinking about how I would have responded to Jesus saying that, looking at thousands of hungry people and wondering how exactly Jesus wanted me to feed them.
Then Jesus says something interesting. “How may loaves do you have? Go & see.”
Jesus takes the 5 loaves and 2 fish that the disciples have, thanks God for them, and the food is multiplied. So much so that 12 baskets of extra food is collected at the end.
Just like Elisha asking the widow, Jesus asked the disciples what do you have?
Like the widow, sometimes we think we have nothing then remember we have a little something – that whole “I have nothing except” thing. Seeing some of the poverty and wealth that I have on this journey, our “except” could very well save a life.
Sometimes the solution is right in front of us. Instead of asking God for more things – more money, more patience, more stuff – maybe we should look at what we already have and ask God how he can use it to bless us and bless others.
