2 Kings 4:1-7

There is a lot to learn from the story of the widow and the servant of God Elisha in this scripture.

Like many people today who might find themselves cornered by the situations in their lives, feel disadvantaged, desperate and probably feel that life has been unfair to them, the poor widow in this chapter had every reason to sulk at life and curse it for its “unfairness.”  Her husband had just died and left behind huge debts, and his creditors were coming to take away her two sons as slaves to compensate themselves for the debt. A very desperate situation, we must all agree! Was there something she could do to help herself? Is there something you can do to help yourself when you are in that situation in your life that sometimes makes you feel like you have hit a dead end?

The answer is a resounding YES! Actually, you are not as helpless as you think. If you look beyond the ugly face of misfortune that threateningly stares at you, deep inside, there is something left.

Elisha asked the widow (Vs.2), “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”  She had a little oil left. Elisha guided her to use the little oil she had left in her house; she transformed it into a business enterprise that served her neighbours and provided for her and her sons.

The truth is that there is something within you that you can use to change your fortunes even though the evidence on the outside spells the word, d-o-o-m-e-d! Your creator has put a deposit within you and He wants to work with what you have to help you.

You may have zero money in your pocket, zero balance in your bank account and your fridge is empty but you don’t have to die. You may be heartbroken, friends may have deserted you, you’ve suffered huge emotional trauma and you feel dejected but you can rise again and live a full life.

Here are the learning points we can draw from these verses:

• There is a deposit in you however little or much; release it to God. He will bless it and increase it so that it can bless you and serve others.
•  God is not demanding more than what you have but he can only bless what you have availed to him.
• There is some emptiness in the world that needs you. It needs the flow of the deposit within you.
•  The little that is within you is enough for you to do your part in filling the emptiness the world is experiencing.
•  God will increase what you have as you pour it out.
• As long as the deposit within you – however little or much – remains unused, it will be unhelpful to you and useless to others. You will not be able to fulfil purpose.
•  The deposit in you will only be relevant in this world as long as you look for a place to invest it and actually pour it out. The minute you cease pouring it out, its use will end and its meaning will fade away.
•  The more you give, the more you receive; the more you pour yourself to serve others, the more you increase – life serves you!
• Invest yourself as much as you can by pouring out the deposit within you in as many opportunities as are available to you and you will continue to grow.
• Your wealth shall grow if and only if you activate the deposit within you and invest it in the earth – put it to use; pour it out.

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