Son or Slave? It's Always A Choice ♡♡♡

"What can I  do to help you?" Elisha asked. "Tell me, what do you have in the house?'  "Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil, "she replied. And Elisha said, "Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled" - 2 Kings 4:2-4

What are creditors like when you are on thier bad side? Well, if you want to find out, owe them money! So in the precious book of 2 Kings chapter 4. There is an interesting story about a widowed woman. Her husband was a prophet. In fact he rolled with a group of other prophets and served and feared the Lord, under prophet Elisha. But then he died and left a ton of debts behind. It is what it is. He probably had some kind of payment plan set up before he passed. Whatever the case, this poor widow and her two sons were constantly at the mercy of the creditors. "But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves" - 2 Kings 4:1b. How did that escalate so quickly? sons, slaves what?!!!

Scripture says that the woman came to Prophet Elisha. I love how she puts it to him "My husband who served you is dead and you know he feared the Lord" - verse 1b . Like yo, this man served you, he even feared the Lord. She had expectations whether you believe it to be true or not. Dead husband, pile of debts and now threat to take my sons as slaves? Prophet Elisha then proceeds to ask her what he could do to help her and what she had in her house? Yes, because no matter how burnt out we are, no matter how stretched thin, we are never left with absolutely nothing. Her response - "Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil" she replied- verse 2. How those two things go together in the same sentence, I wonder. Well, the flask of olive oil, that seemed to be nothing, was indeed something.

And Elisha said, "Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled." So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim!..." - 2 Kings 4:3-5

Just imagine for a sec that this woman had no friends and neighbors? say for example she was a trouble maker in that compound and not in speaking terms with a lot of them. Imagine also that she had irresponsible sons who refused to take her instructions or advise?  story for another day :)  Thankfully for her, her children were sons indeed and there were lots of empty vessels lying around in the vicinity, with people willing to borrow them to her. She and her sons will shut the door behind them, pouring the olive oil from her flask into these empty vessels. She will then sell them to pay off her debts, and what's more she and her son's can live on what is left over" - 2 kings 4:7. Amazing isn't it? That creditor "slave plan" eradicated. Finito! - I imagine thier business empire "Olive oil and sons"  finally born" :)  hehe

For a lot of people the end of 2021, coming into 2022 may seem to be like the life of that poor widow at the beginning of the story. A loss of a loved one maybe? difficulties, debts that are not entirely your fault or your fault even, spiritual dryness or apathy. Threat to your life or wellbeing? Lost your way? or even feeling like you deserve what you are going through? whatever category you fall into, I'd like to let you know that it doesn't have to be where it ends, nope. The problem with pity parties is very few people come, and those who do don't bring presents" - Zig Ziglar said it. God never leaves us empty, though if we appear to be too full of ourselves, then we appear hand tight unable to receive any kind of help. So as we start a new year, here are a few things we can learn from this beautiful story of the bible and a couple of things I encourage you to please consider....

• No matter how bad her situation was, she never got bitter. Afterall her husband was a faithful prophet. There are legitimate reasons why she could have been.
• She was audacious and fearless. She went in search of the prophet still. Don't give up on your commitment and trust in God. 
• She was humble. She was not afraid to admit that she needed help. I mean she was a prophet's wife. For some people in this day and age, it is a badge of honor [oops] -Reach out to people in your circle, when you need help.
• She obeyed. Her sons obeyed. Maturity as a child of God means, it doesn't stop at just reading the bible. We must grow to become passionate doers of it.
• There is a time for everything. Including a time to shut the door behind you. A time to mind your own business. A time to dwell in the secret place. Afterall that's where miracles that don't make any kind of sense take place..
• You are never without nothing. God has blessed everyone with something. Pray to God to help you discover what it is? Your friends and neighbors are potential beneficiaries. 
• Sons or slaves? Because it is totally and entirely always a choice.
• Ah less I forget, be kind to your friends and neighbors, because one day, you might need thier help too :)

Here is me wishing you the very best of 2022. Here is me praying and wishing that you stay "kinging" through every single moment that unfolds this year before you. Here is me wishing you a ton of fruitful bible studies and quiet times, revealing the Father to you in a deeper way. Here is me praying for focus, rest, peace and deep genuine joy for you and all yours. Whilst I stay rolling these out every Monday by God's grace :). Yup, my flask of olive oil. What's yours?

"I no longer call you servants , because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" - John 15:15

   .....Because friend and servant have different bragging rights....

Love

SR