Pour Out From What You Have

There is a story from the Old Testament of the Bible that has truly led me to a powerful revelation.  The story is about a widow, who had a serious need.  Her husband was a prophet, but had passed away, leaving a debt large enough that the creditors were coming to take their sons as slaves to pay off the debt.  The answer to her problem is not a natural occurrence, yet I am certain that it is accessible to all believers.

Here is the actual story:

“A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?”

And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.

Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

II Kings 4:1-7 NKJV

Have you ever been in such a desperate situation? I don’t know of any circumstance more painful than knowing your children will be taken as slaves.  Have you ever worried about how you will raise your children?  Perhaps you are like this widow, whose children were left without a father.  Perhaps you simply look around at the world we live in and realize the heaviness of raising children in such an environment.  You know people whose children have been taken into another kind of slavery, living in bondage to sin, and you wonder how to keep your children on the right path.  I have thought through these things multiple times myself.

This is why the story of the widow gives me so much hope.  When she came to Elisha with her need, he asked her what she had in her house.  She had nothing but a jar of oil. Her answer was already in her possession. I am filled with joy every time I read the next sentence.

Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.

She has nothing but a jar of oil, and he tells her to go gather the empty vessels and clearly instructs her to not gather just a few, but gather from EVERYWHERE, from ALL her neighbors!  Can you picture it?  Imagine coming to your pastor with a need and he tells you, “What do you have in your home?  Go pour it out into your neighbors’ vessels!”  I can imagine how offended I would be.  But that’s exactly where I would miss the miracle.

Over the years that I have been a believer, as well as all the years I have been helping my husband in his ministry, all the times we’ve opened up our home for youth to gather, for traveling pastors, or even for penny-less students trying to get ahead in life, it was NOT out of a place of financial abundance.  Almost every time, we needed the money we bought the extra bedding or groceries with for our own expenses. 

We believe in financial abundance, but we don’t believe in waiting for an abundance to start sharing what we already have.  I am certain that it was because we have followed this principle that, although we haven’t reached that place of financial abundance just yet, we have never gone hungry, but had always had enough.  Somehow, everything would just fall into place and our bills would be paid.

We didn’t have the extra time either.  Slavic runs a business during the day and spends many evenings in meetings at the church.  We have five children, who need time with him and we have to make time for each other to sustain our marriage.  This requires quite a bit of effort to make time for even if you are working a regular job.

Above and beyond the financial provision we have witnessed through all these years, we have gained something so much more valuable.  We have become friends with so many of those who have come through our home.  Whether the young boys Slavic had grilled steak for, who are now grown men with families of their own, or the pastors from across the world, who were not well known when we first had them in our home, we are honored to call each one of these people our friends.

My children have been baptized into this principle from birth.  They are now bringing their friends home, gathering those vessels, and not just a few!  The beauty of filling all the vessels we can find around us is this: within a short period of time, we will be surrounded by vessels that are filled with the same purpose and direction in life as we are!  So simple, but so powerful. If our children watch us practice this principle, they will learn to bring their friends into our homes.  Once their friends are on our territory, and we have shared with them from what we have, given them a place to gather and fed them, we can fill them with God’s purpose.  Our children don’t have to grow up being emptied by the darkness of the world.  They can grow up surrounded by vessels who were once empty, but, through our generosity, had been filled with a love for God.

Here are two keys I have learned and have been practicing in my life that I want to share with you:

1.     Take people into your home and share what you have with them.  Sharing is the multiplying power for the little that you already have.  

2.     Invest time speaking into the people around you, as you share what you have with them. Pour into empty vessels, they will be a source of encouragement and strength for you and your children.

Do you have a jar of oil? Cook something up and bring in someone who needs some attention! 

I will be sharing more on this concept in future posts, so check back in.  I love reading your comments, so please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. 

Blessings,

Veronica