I know we are all very familiar with this story of the widow and her oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7).
Here was a woman who desperately needed God to show up. Her husband was dead, her debts were piling up and men were on their way to sell her sons as slaves. Things were bad.
She went to prophet Elisha for help and he asked her a simple question, “What do you have in your house?” (v2) All she had was a little jar of oil. It wasn’t much, but God used it to perform a miracle and met her needs.
The striking thing about this story is that little phrase in vs 5, “and she kept pouring.” After the first few jars were filled she sent for more because Elisha had told her to ask the neighbors for “a lot” of jars. In faith she kept pouring, and God filled every single one.
There is something i want to bring out in this story and the miracle God did for her.
Do you know that the extent to which she poured the oil was the extent to which her relationship with her neighbours ended?
She could only borrow from those she was in good terms and at peace with.
Her miracle stopped where the number of jars she borrowed were full. If they were more jars, the oil would have continued to multiply.
What am I saying? Our attitude, character and relationship with people affect how far we go in life. When we are filled with hatred, bitterness and drama, we scare people away from us because we send out a bad aroma.
You know why?
bitterness, anger and unforgiveness invites the devil to take a space in our hearts and even rent a room and once he moves in, he stinks up the whole place then when we are in trouble, there is no one to fall back on for help or strength. People may even be willing to help but our pride and arrogance and bragging may not allow us to reach out to them for help. After all, who posing on top nothing EPP?(like we always say)
I see God showing up for us in all of our troubles, but we have our part to play in that process. Remember, our attitude determines our altitude.
Forgiveness and letting go doesn’t diminish justice; it just entrusts it to God.
Lets learn to forgive, let go and cease the fire, be simple, be honest, humble yourself and ultimately be at peace with people around you.
We are blessed and all our prayers are answered in Jesus name.
