7She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
The miraculous provision for this widow is faith-inspiring. But, I want you to note a couple of things before you go out and gather empty jars. The first is that she and her sons were so poor they only had a little oil left. They had lost everything. They had given up the satellite TV, the cell phones, the two cars and their payments, the rented furniture, the game systems and games, and every other expense and object of value. They really were at the bottom. We so often want the Lord to rescue us from our financial ruin, often when we are not willing to remove the fluff from our financial lives. Many times those who live off government handouts have expenses that are luxuries and not necessities. We are paying for SUV’s when an old minivan would work. “But, then I will have to pay for repairs!” Well, if you put the $400 a month you are putting into a car payment into a savings account, then you could pay cash for the repair and not have the car payment. But that just illustrates the issue: lack of discipline. This widow had cut back. She was trying to live within her means, but all she had left was a little oil. When we are in total obedience to the Lord, that obedience opens the way for the Lord to intervene. When we are in rebellion, we close the door on God’s provision. When we are empty, then the Lord can fill us up. This is especially true when we are full of ourselves. This widow had lost everything, including her standing is society. She was at the bottom, and the Lord came to her rescue.