She turns to the prophet Elisha in her distress, and he gives her some unusual advice – well, for an Old Testament prophet, it’s not at all unusual, those were some veeerrry interesting fellows. Upon discovering that all she has in her entire house, her whole earthly belongings, is a little bit of oil, Elisha directs her:

Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

Enter the miracle. She follows his directions precisely, right down to the shutting of the door. The widow pours and pours into the many jars. Son, give me another jar, she said. Sorry, Mom, that was the last one, says he. Then comes the stunning end of verse 6: “Then the oil stopped flowing.”

God provided exactly what she needed. The moment the jars ran out, the oil stopped. She could sell the oil, pay the debts and have enough left over for her and her sons to live on. This story truly sends shivers up my spine. It can be difficult to ask for help, especially for a lot of help. I can imagine perhaps the widow had to set aside her pride and her tendency to say, “neighbor, can I have just a few?” If this was me, that’s what would have happened. But I’m picturing the joy of the entire village, as each member had given much to this family, and they all get to rejoice in the immense provision.

What a life lesson! Seek help from wise people, follow God’s precise instructions even if they don’t make sense, and watch the blessings flow. He cares for you.