NOTHING INTO SOMETHING
So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.”
1 Kings 17:15-16 (NLT)
With God, anything can be turned into something. Too often, we rely on the greats—those with obvious gifts or abundant resources—to meet the needs around us. We let the pastors do the speaking, the wealthy do the giving, and the better Christians lead the small groups. But Scripture paints a very different picture.
It was a young boy with a sling who brought down a giant. A teenage girl who carried God Himself in her womb. A little boy with a meager lunch fed thousands. A poor widow with her last coin, who gave the most. Again and again, God chooses the overlooked and ordinary to do the extraordinary.
We see this again in Elijah’s story. Israel had been ravaged by famine for years, and resources were scarce. The woman Elijah encountered—a widow from Zarephath—would have been in even more dire circumstances, with no husband to provide and little means to survive. Elijah could have approached anyone in the city for help, yet he asked the lowliest.
Instead of reacting from her lack—which was great, as she had only a little oil and flour left—she responded with hospitality and generosity. That simple, sacrificial act fed the man of God and sustained her and her family through the famine.
Given our human limitations and tendency to worry, we can hoard or dismiss our material or immaterial resources. However, an attitude of scarcity not only limits the blessings we can be to others; it also limits the blessings we receive. Scripture makes it clear: there’s a reciprocal nature to a generous, open heart (see Acts 20:35, Hebrews 13:16, Luke 6:38). When we give out of love and trust for God and others, regardless of what we have, miracles happen for everyone.
When we give, it’s not about offering what we see as important or abundant. God never said we had to be rich, wise or strong before we could be generous. He just asks us to give what we have, and somehow, He always makes it more than enough. Every time.
APPLICATION: What resources has God given you—time, wisdom, skills, relationships? Ask the Lord to help you see what you’ve been given and how you might share it with someone in need today.
PRAYER: Father, teach me to see what You’ve given and how to share it with others. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?