The story of the Woman with the oil is a Biblical story that has many lessons embedded therein.
Her husband who was a son of the prophet had died, and he had left a huge debt for her which she had no means to pay.
Then she cried out to Elisha one day how her two sons would be taken away if she doesn’t pay off her husband’s debt, she mentioned how her husband feared the Lord and reminded Elisha of this fact.
Her sons would have to go work the debt at the lenders home if she is not able to pay off this debt.
She was distraught and so unhappy.
The Prophet asked her what do you have in your house?
“She said NOTHING, BUT a jar of oil”
- Lesson 1: The answer is always in the BUT.
- The solution to that situation in your life is always embedded in the BUT.
- You have commonised that thing in your hands, you have set it aside as been unimportant.
- Afterall, it doesn’t measure up to what others have.
- You have compared and belittled it, but that’s the solution to your problem.
- It is NOT a BUT, but a SOLUTION.
- Begin to view it anew and ask God to open your eyes to its usefulness and blessings attached to it and see what the Lord will do in your life.
Prophet Elisha instructed the woman, go borrow empty vessels from your neighbor’s, from everywhere, DO NOT GATHER just a few and when she does, she should SHUT THE DOOR behind her and her sons as she proceeds to pour the oil into the empty vessels.
- LESSON: if your own vessel is empty, it shall be borrowed by the people who needs it and it will be used for their own good and blessings.
- Perhaps you have a talent or a gift you have not developed, or you have developed it but refused to use it, someone with a revelation would use that gift and talent you have neglected to further their own life and expand their own territory, and it would not be their fault, nature abhors vacuum.
- Stop looking down on yourself, never let your vessel be empty, refine that talent, develop that gifting and begin to use it to serve others diligently.
- Never bury your talent or giftings, use them exhaustively to serve and be a blessing.
- Always refill yourself and develop you consistently, keep growing, a stagnant water stinks.
The woman with the oil is also a very obedient woman, Elijah told her to lock her door behind her as she fills the empty vessels.
- Lesson: There are some things about your life, development and progress that should never be done in public or in the full glare of people.
- Learn how to LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND YOU SOMETIMES as you build, create and develop.
- Everyone does not have to see your process or processes.
- LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND YOU!!!
- Perhaps if her door were opened and any of her neighbor’s had seen her as she poured the little oil in the empty vessels they could have raised an alarm, labeled her, requested for their vessels back or SABOTAGED her.
- Some people want you to do well, but not more than them.
- Somethings are to be done in secret.
- Hide your processes if the spirit of the Lord tells you to.
- Protect God’s blessings in your life.
- Move in obedience, delay gratification so that your jars can be full and you can enjoy God’s blessings always.
The Woman with the oil is an example of a woman who received the Prophet and enjoyed the prophet’s reward.
She was an obedient woman, and her obedience changed her fortunes for life.
We can learn beautiful lessons from her life and take a cue.
Thank you for reading, if you have been blessed, please share.
Scripture reference 2 Kings 4v1:7
Written by Oluwatosin Olajumoke Arodudu.
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