In Luke 4:25, Jesus said, “But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.”
Those of us familiar with the widow of Zarephath’s story, found in 1 Kings, know that God miraculously used Elijah to provide food for her and her son, saving all of their lives through the catastrophic drought. It made me wonder though, how did Elijah feel walking all of the way through Israel on his way to Zarephath, seeing all of the people in need and not having any way to help them? It must have been overwhelming!
Like Elijah, we aren’t equipped to help every single person in need in the world. However, sometimes, just like Elijah, we do get to help someone who really needs it and it is amazing!
Recently I was able to buy some products from a ministry that provides jobs for women in abject poverty in the third world. The tag on each item is signed by the actual artisan who made it. As the founder of the ministry rang up my purchase, she noted one item in particular and said, “She used to be a prostitute and now she isn’t!”
Really?!? And I got to be a tiny part of that?
Whenever we have the chance to give away something that God has given us, whether it is our time, our money or our expertise, it is a blessing and we should take the opportunity. Proverbs #:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
Galatians 6:10 tells us, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.” We will not always have the “power to act” and we do not have the “opportunity” to help every person. But when God puts someone in our path with the resources to improve their situation- let’s do it!
(For those who have missed any of the previous lessons, you can go to https://comethirstyministry.com/blog/ and view all previous postings.)
Week Thirty-Six
Day 1: Luke 2:21-40 (Anna)
Day 2: Luke 2:41-52 (Mary)
Day 3: Luke 4:14-30 (Widow of Zarephath)
Day 4: Luke 7:1-16 (Widow)
Day 5: Luke 8:1-3 (Women Minister to Jesus) and Luke 8:40-48 (Healed Woman)