Story 39 of 100 · Based on 2 Kings 4:1-7
Elisha and the Jar of Oil
There was a woman, the widow of a disciple of the prophets. One day she went to see the prophet Elisha, very worried.
—My husband has died —she said—. And the man he owed money to has come to take my two sons as slaves.
—What can I do for you? —Elisha asked—. Tell me, what do you have in your house?
—I have nothing, except one jar of oil.
—Go and ask all your neighbors for jars —Elisha told her—. Empty jars, and not just a few. Go inside your house, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all those jars. Set aside each one as it is filled.
The woman did so. She shut the door and began to pour oil into the jars that her sons brought her. And the oil did not run out.
When the jars were full, she said to her son:
—Bring me another jar.
—There are no more —he answered.
And then the oil stopped.
The woman went and told the prophet.
—Go, sell the oil —Elisha said—, pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on what is left.
God took care of that family with the little they had.
Let's talk: The woman thought she had nothing, but she had a jar of oil. What good things do you have?
God can do a lot with the little we give him. Goodnight.