What Do You HAVE?

There’s a fascinating story in the Bible, about a poor widow who became rich. You can read it for yourself in 2 Kings 4:1–7.

One day the prophet Elisha came to visit the widow and wanted to help her. He asked her what she had in her house, and she said that all she had was a small bottle of oil. Then the prophet said something strange: he asked her to go to all her neighbours and collect as many empty jars as she could find, and pour the oil from her small bottle into them. She did just as he asked. She began to pour oil into the jars she had collected, one by one, until finally there were none left.

That’s when the oil stopped flowing. But all the large jars were now full of oil that she could sell. This is how the poor widow became rich.

Just think, she mentioned the small bottle of oil. I don’t think I’d have done that. I would probably have said, ‘I don’t have anything!’ as that would have been true, as a small bottle of oil is nothing compared to everything else you should have in your house. But instead, she said ‘I HAVE.’ That made all the difference. It was what she had that made the increase possible. What you don’t have, can never be anything. But what you HAVE can increase.

I HAVE, she said, and collected what she had. She was bold and used what she had for something that was much too big in comparison: how could ONE small bottle fill so many big jars? But she used what she had and it was enough! She trusted God, and let Him use what she had, and it became a blessing for her and the people around her.

I want to learn from this widow. Often, I focus on what I DON’T HAVE and the things I lack, and I think, ‘IF only I HAD, THEN I would…’, or ‘IF only I had BEEN, THEN I would…’, or ‘It’s so little, and I know so little…’. But she only had a small bottle of oil, and it became enormous, because she used just what she had.

There are lots of videos of Nick Vujicic on YouTube. He has no arms or legs, but we can see him playing table tennis. Someone asks him, ‘Is it hard playing table tennis without arms?’ ‘I’m not playing WITHOUT arms,’ he replies, ‘I’m playing WITH my chin and shoulders!’

What have you GOT?

In God’s eyes you lack nothing. You HAVE what you need. Use it, and it will increase. God created you with potential, He wants you to use what you have so that it increases.

Don’t fall into the temptation of comparing yourself with others. They have something different from you, and can quickly point it out as something missing in you. Instead, listen to what God has to say about you. Let Him show you what you HAVE and what you can use it for. Then you will be the person you are created to be, with everything you need to be just you!

GOOD LUCK AS YOU USE WHAT YOU HAVE!

See Nick Vujicic on YouTube here.