Story of the Month

Vessels Not a Few

II Kings 4:1-7

told by John Walsh

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Her head spun with confusion, and tears filled her eyes. The events of the last few days were all a blur! Two weeks ago, they were a happy family. She had her husband and two sons. Her husband was a young prophet who studied and served God. He was an honest, hard-working man, faithful to his work and faithful to her and the boys. The sickness came fast without warning; and then … and then he died. Her young husband was gone! She was left with nothing except her loneliness and two sons.

Friends gathered around and tried to provide comfort. They put together the humble funeral, and stood next to her saying soothing words. Still, she felt life had given her a harsh blow and things could not get worse. But … they did!

She looked up and saw a man walking toward her. He was their creditor and she couldn’t believe he would come to her husband’s funeral! Their debt was the farthest thing from her mind. She had been opposed to her husband taking out the loan, but he said it was for the good of the family. He explained that they were more than able to pay it back. It was well within their means. The thought of dying never crossed his mind.

Now the creditor stood before her, a sad look on his face and sympathetic words on his tongue. “I am so sorry about this tragedy. I know you are worried about how you are going to take care of your debt. Well, don’t worry. I have it all worked out. With all the changes in your life, you don’t need to fret about that.”

She just looked at him. What was he saying? Was he going to forgive the debt? He was not known for such generosity. Was he going to give her more time to pay? More time would not help anything. She had no means of income – now or later. She didn’t even have food in her house to feed her boys.

Not saying a word, she listened intently. “There, there, dear lady. You concentrate on getting through this time. Move back in to your parents’ house. I will take the boys as my household slaves and we will call the debt even. Possibly you can marry again and have more children. This is the best plan for everyone involved. I’ll give you a few days to get their things in order and then I’ll come for them. That is … unless you can pay the debt.”

Then he turned and left. Panic gripped her! Her breathing almost stopped! Several women, who heard what was said, came rushing to her side. She looked at them with terror in her eyes. No one knew what to say, … because … there was no solution. The man was in total control of this situation. If he wanted the boys, … they were his … because of the debt.

The next morning, she rushed to a friend’s house and asked if the boys could stay there for an hour or so. She had not slept much that night, but now she knew what she must do. Tears blurred her eyes as she left her friend’s house and hastened down the path. No! She would not give up her boys without a fight. She didn’t know how, but she would raise her boys to be like their father, a free man who loved and served God.

The sun was rising in the clear morning sky, promising a warm day. She rushed by ripening fig trees that tried to comfort her with a wonderful sweet smell, but it was lost on her. She was on a mission and could not be distracted.

She slowed her pace as she approached the clearing where Elisha was teaching the young prophets. It was not proper for her to interrupt, but she had to present her case to the Man of God. She looked at the young men sitting around their teacher, and suddenly doubts started whispering in her ear. “You’re only a woman! Your husband is dead! The debt was a mistake! Your boys are healthy and should work! Your creditor is right! It is the only way.”

“No,” she said to herself. “He is not right. I am not just a woman – I am a mother! I will fight for my sons!” She rushed up to where Elisha was sitting and almost tripped over him.

The prophet was a man of composure, and not much surprised him; but this frantic woman took him totally off guard as she crashed in on their teaching session, disrupting everything. With wide eyes, he just looked up at her. “My dear lady, what is going on here?”

She fell on her knees and cried out (much louder then she meant to), “My husband was one of your students and he served you. You know he was a good man and feared the Lord in all he did. Now, now he is dead, and his creditor has come and is planning to take my two sons as slaves.” With that, her pent-up emotions burst out and she started to weep.

Others in the little gathering looked down and wished they were not there. Each man knew this family, and they knew the situation. “Life” was staring them in the face. They also knew that – but for the grace of God – this could be their wife facing the realities of their children going into slavery. This was the cost of joining the prophets.

Times were tight and there was not enough money among them to even begin redeeming this woman’s sons. If they had money, they would rush home, get it, and give it to her. Unfortunately, there was no money, and there was no way to help her.

Elisha felt awkward and cleared his throat. “Uh, what do you want me to do?” She looked at him though her tears. … He could not help her! … She had no answer for his question. There was nothing anyone could do. She looked down … and despair started taking control of her every thought.

Then the Spirit of God moved across the prophet’s soul. He looked at the widow and once again cleared his throat. She looked at him. “Tell me, what do you have in your house that has any monetary value?”

She couldn’t believe the implication of his question. Of course she had considered all of her options and assets. She was not holding anything back for herself. She would gladly give up everything in exchange for her sons. “Nothing sir, nothing at all.”

Then she remembered. “Oh … I do have a small amount of oil … but that is all.”

Elisha narrowed his eyes and looked at her intensely. “This is what you must do.”

Her whole attention was now fixed on the Man of God. This was why she had come. This was why she was there. God was about to do something.

“Go to all your neighbors and borrow jars, vessels, and pots. Now listen to me. Don’t borrow just a few; borrow as many as you can. Take them all to your house, go inside, and make sure your boys are with you. Once you close the door, do not open it again until you have finished my instructions. Are you listening to me?”

The widow didn’t say a word, but her eyes grew wider as she nodded her head.

“Once the door is closed, pour your oil into each container you have borrowed. Once a jar or pot is full, set it aside and fill another.” With that, … the prophet looked away as if he had other things on his mind. It was clear to all, he was finished speaking.

The woman knelt there looking at him, trying to sort out what he had just said. She turned and looked at the others in the group. Finally one of the students smiled and nodded, and with his hand, motioned for her to leave, as if to say, “Quickly, go do what you were told to do.”

She slowly got up and moved away, trying to sort out what was said and what she was told to do. She felt she was in a dream. As she walked down the path, she thought of the prophet’s instructions. Then her pace quickened, and finally she started to run.

The men sitting around the prophet looked at one another. They had no money for the widow, but they could easily lend her pots and jars. Soon they realized the prophet was ignoring them, so the class was over and they were free to go. They hurried down the road. Now they had a way they could help.

The little village was full of excitement. The widow and her sons were gathering all the vessels they could possibly carry. Neighbors were searching their houses for just one more jar. Finally she and her sons stood at their door looking at the wide selection of vessels that filled their humble home. “Momma, shall I go get some more?”

“No son, we will stop here. We have bothered our kind neighbors enough.” With that she reached for the door and closed it.

The boys watched as their mother picked up her little container of olive oil. She held it in her hands and looked at it. It was so small and it wasn’t even full. Once again she looked around at the many pots and jars sitting around their simple home. What if nothing special happened? What if the oil just poured from one jar into another, and that was it? What would she say to her neighbors when she returned all the vessels? Warmth of embarrassment started to move up around her neck and touch the lower parts of her ears.

“Momma, pour the oil.”

She smiled. Her sons had no doubt at all about this exercise. She walked over to the table and picked up the first vessel. Her two sons stood on the other side; their eyes wide open with a look of anticipation. They were so much like their father. He too had boundless faith in God and His power to do the supernatural.

She started pouring the oil out of her little jar into a pot. She poured … and poured … until the pot was full! The eyes of her sons became even wider. She started to laugh in amazement. “Son, bring me another vessel.”

One of her sons moved the first pot out of the way, while the other replaced it with a jar. She filled that one as well. “Son, another pot!”

It happened again and again. All three were busy – bringing a new container, filling it and carrying it away. The boys were serious about their task, but kept getting distracted by the laugher of their mother. “(ha, ha) Another vessel boys, another jug!” Momma had not laughed like this since before Papa got sick.

The boys had to keep track of which containers were full and which were still empty. “One more, boys, bring me one more.” The older brother would point, “Over there. Get that one.”

“This one is full. Bring me another jar.”

The boys looked around, “Momma, there are no more.”

“No more? Are you sure? Find one more.”

Momma, there are no more.” And with that … the oil stopped!

For a few seconds, the three of them stood looking at all the vessels filled to the top. The whole house was filled with the aroma of expensive oil. Momma’s laughter grew quiet. She knelt down, pulled both boys into her arms, and cried – long and hard.

All the neighbors were waiting outside the door. When the widow opened the door, they were concerned when they saw her tears. Then a radiant smile broke through, and they knew God had worked a miracle. Women rushed up and gathered around their friend. Men looked into the house and came out praising the Lord. Discussions started up about how they were going to help her sell the oil and get the best price.

“Wait!” said the woman. “I must first go and talk to the Man of God.”

Several men volunteered to watch over her house with its precious contents. Everyone else walked with the woman back to the little clearing where the prophet still sat. Once again the woman knelt down next to him. “Sir, I have done what you commanded. My neighbors have lent me all the vessels from their houses. We took them into our house and shut the door like you instructed.”

Tears once again welled up in her eyes, and the prophet looked away – a little uncomfortable with her emotions. “Sir, God has filled all the vessels with oil.”

The Man of God once again looked at her and smiled, “Go, … sell the oil … and pay your debt. Take what is left … and raise those boys … to love the Lord.”

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