Bible Stories: Stewardship

Stressed in making monthly payments of your debt! This reminds me of the Bible story of The Widow’s Oil.

2 Kings 4:1-7 (ESV) Elisha and the Widow’s Oil

4 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha [2], “Your servant [1] my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor [1] has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house? [3]” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil. [3]” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, [4] empty vessels and not too few. [4] 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. [5] And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured, they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, [6] and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

1. Servants of God also can get into debt. Debt impacts the next generation.
   This man was a son of a prophet, servant of God. He feared the Lord as evident of his good character that Elisha would know. This servant died poor. For some reasons, he borrowed money from some creditors. Likely to provide for his family as the house was poor without many possessions. He did not contract his debts by prodigality, luxury, and riotous living, for he was one that feared the Lord. Yet it may be many that fear God to be in debt and insolvent, through afflictive providences, high risks investments, or bad debts, or their own imprudence, for the children of light are not always wise for this world. Perhaps this servant was impoverished by persecution.
   The only assets of the widow were her sons and their labor as slaves to pay their father’s debt. The widow had lost her husband and now her two sons. She must be feeling lost on what to do and desperate for a solution to resolve the situation. How is the family going to survive without an income?
2. Seek counsel when in trouble. The widow seek counsel from Elisha, a prophet. Caution who you seek counsel from!
   God encourages us to use a gift He has provided for our benefits, godly counselors. Proverbs 19:20 reads, “Listen to advise and accept instructions, and in the end you will be wise.” (NIV) The Word of God is one important source of counsel and many verses quoted. Example is Psalm 119:24 reads “Your laws are both my lights and my counselors.” (TLB) If the Bible provides clear direction, we know what to do. If the Bible is not specific about an issue, we should subject our decision to the second source of counsel, godly people. In dependence upon the promise that the seed of the righteous shall not be forsaken. The generation of the upright may expect help from God’s providence and countenance from his prophets. Other sources of counsel include your spouse, parents, and experienced people. Your spouse and parents are the closest people to you. Seeking counsel from them honors them and builds communications. You may consult subject matter experts for qualified information to make decisions. But you make your own decisions seeking the Lord.
   Elisha relieves this poor widow’s distress; she was able to pay her debt and her family. He did not say, be warmed, be filled, but gave her real help. The greatest kindness one can help poor people, which is, if possible, help them into a way of improving the little they have by their own industry and ingenuity. He directed her what to do after enquiring, “What shall I do for thee?”
3. Stewardship of what God has given you, even a little oil is from God. Be Grateful, Use it for your own needs and Share with others in need. The Lord owns all our possessions. Psalms 24:1 reads “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.” Our part is to steward what God has given to us. A steward is a manager of someone else’s stuff and to be found faithful. Our responsibility, “It is required of stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)
   We are to be faithful regardless of how much God entrusts to us. Let those that are poor and in distress be encouraged to trust God for supply in the way of duty. Let widows particularly, and prophets’ widows in a special manner, depend upon Him to preserve them and their fatherless children. (James 1:27, Deuteronomy 14:29, Job 31;16,17,21, Psalms 146:9) Let those whom God has blessed with plenty use it for the glory of God and under the direction of his Word.
   Often, one will not recognize the little assets one has. The widow knew that she did not have any plate or furniture to sell to pay the debts. She did not reckon that she had a little oil till Elisha persisted in checking. With the jar of oil, she could use to meet the family needs and serve God cheerfully. Elisha as any leader, be ready to do good to those that need them, be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
4. Borrow from your neighbors. Involve your community.
   Elisha told the widow to borrow many vessels from all the neighbors. Believers are defined by their key relationships. As children of God, brought into a relationship with other members of God’s family. (Mark 3:31-35) “Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” 1 John 4:21. The primary call is to sacrificially share our lives with our brother and sister. (John 15:13) This includes both material and spiritual resources. Acts 2:42-47 reads, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
   Build a relationship with your community and a good name. Your community will be your support. The widow may borrow from the neighbors with the commitment to pay back her debts of vessels. (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)
5. Faith in God’s Providence.
   The widow can ask God to provide the money to pay the debts. God is all powerful and able. He provided mammon to the Israelites in the desert for 40 years. But her faith firmly believing the divine power and goodness, and in pure obedience to the prophet allows a miracle to happen. She collected as many vessels as she could. Closed the door behind her and poured oil from the jar into the vessels. The oil from the jar did not stop till all the vessels were filled. They were all amazed to find their jar, like a fountain of living water, always flowing, and yet always full. God multiples what we surrender to him. It is not hoarding the talents, but trading with them, that doubles them. The way to increase what we have is to use it or worked with our own hands; to him that so hath shall be given.
   It is our faith that fails, not his promise. He gives above what we ask: were there more vessels, there is enough in God to fill them—enough for all, enough for each. Was not this pot of oil exhausted if there were any vessels to be filled from it?
6. Work to pay off your debts.
   The widow and her sons worked to pay the debts. In pure obedience, she and her sons went into the town to borrow vessels. Closed the door, with her own hands, she poured oil from her jar into the vessels. The sons were employed to bring her empty vessels and set aside when full. The widow approached Elisha again and received instructions to sell the oil to pay her debt. She had more than enough that met her needs. She also picked a skill to sell something, a capacity of making a honest livelihood and able to continue living. Elisha did not give her some small matter for her present provision but set her up in the world to sell oil and put a stock into her hand to begin with.

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Related resources: https://compass1.org/five-minute-finances/