What do you have?

The widow woman from 2 Kings 4 has been on my mind nonstop. Her story occupies 7 out of 31,102 verses in the Bible. This blip on the biblical map is becoming a place I desire to dwell. The longer I stay, the more I glean.

On Sunday, November 8th, we had a phenomenal service at my church. We didn't follow our typical agenda- worship, announcements, offering, prayer, worship, preaching, prayer. Instead, we lingered in the presence of God until we reached a holy hush.

***Sidenote- I 10/10 recommend finding a church where the Spirit rushes in and disrupts the agenda.***

When my pastor got up to conclude the service, he shared the passage he was originally planning to preach from. Guess who was going to be in the spotlight? You got it! The widow woman.

Bishop Dillon directed our congregation to verse 2 of the chapter:

"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. ' "

He posed this question to us: How would the story have been different if the woman had focused on what she DID have instead of what she didn't have?

The woman spoke FIRST from her lack. She said "Nothing... BUT..."

In reality, she didn't have "nothing." She had something. It may have been small, but it was enough. Her perceived insufficiency caused her reduce the something she had to "nothing."

This made me wonder how often I've done the same thing- how often I've diminished the little I do have. How often I've downplayed my resources/abilities as a self-defense mechanism against having to... I don't know... DO SOMETHING with them.

AFTER the woman shares what she does have, Elisha gives her instructions on how to prepare for her miracle. Notice: she has to offer what she already has BEFORE being granted access to the miraculous.

Like the widow woman, we must yield the little we have. When we perceive we have "nothing," God sees the potential in our small "something."

Friend, which "somethings" in your life have you reduced to "nothings?" Which parts of yourself have you labeled "insufficient?" Which resources/skills are untapped because you've been waiting for them to magically multiply before ever offering them to the Multiplier?

To increase your capacity, you must first offer what you already have.

Your culinary skills are humble? Host a dinner party anyways.

Your offering won't cover the need? Write the check anyways.

Your vibrato is slightly goat-esque? Sing for joy anyways.

Your knowledge of scripture is limited? Teach the Bible study anyways.

You only have a little bit of oil? Give it to God anyways.

Let Him transform your "little bit" beyond your wildest imagination.

I have a challenge for you (and for myself)!

The next time you see a need - the next time you feel a tug to do something- instead of focusing on what you DON'T have, cheerfully submit and surrender what you DO have. Watch the Multiplier do a good work in and through you. Watch the Multiplier create overflow from something you regarded as nothing.