I am grateful for those little things. You know, a warm up of coffee prepared just the way I like it, a cheesy joke my children come up with throughout the day, folded towels, and how about that empty sink! Yes, I’m grateful for those small things. It’s amazing how those small things can tank a moment of stress brought on by the day to a moment of laughter, peace, and joy. As I sit here thinking about those little daily blessings, I am reminded of the widow and the small amount of oil she had from 2 Kings 4.
4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 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.”
5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She 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.”
In this story a widow comes to the prophet Elisha because debtors have come to collect a debt. If she could not pay the debt, why would take her sons as slaves. Elisha asks her what she had at home and she answered, “as small jar of oil.” Elisha tells her to collect empty jars from the neighbors and to begin to pour our that little amount of oil into those jars. She filled every empty jar! Elisha tells her to sell the oil and pay off her debt. That small amount of oil, that she thought insignificant, that she almost did not mention, took her from a negative situation to a positive one!
Never overlook those little things. Never underestimate the power of those little things. Appreciate them because in a moment of stress, they can be just enough take you of that negative moment into a positive one filled with the peace you need.
Arise, You are Loved 