Little is Much

2 Kings 4:43

‘How can I set this before a hundred men?’ his servant asked. But Elisha answered, ‘Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: 'They will eat and have some left over.'

Being a pastor’s kid, I got accustomed to a life where finances mean we're at the receiving side. From food to clothing to tuition fees, even birthday parties, God has been faithful in providing these things through His sent-people. His timing never once failed, and amazingly, always the exact amount we need. And by exact, I felt it's an implied 'No Extra'. That how I learned to be creative in giving price-less gifts. Or to do service instead of monetary helps. For even if I save, I thought it’s still not much compared to what they need or deserve, or what others are giving. Well, I thought wrong.

In that time of famine, it was unexpected to find a man giving twenty loaves of bread to Elisha. The added phrase ‘from his first ripe of rain’, meant it was his tithe to the Lord. The firstfruit of his produce. He had the option to store it for himself, for who but God knows the famine’s timeframe, or he could have gained much from selling those at a high price. Sure the enemy tempted him with such, but he feared God above all. At Elisha’s hands, he too had the excuse of keeping it to himself. The gift tag bears his name, plus, it couldn’t feed a hundred mouths anyway. Or, he could wait hoping that another man would come bringing eighty more loaves. But being in God’s business, he knew better than hide His blessings underground.  For God’s glory and just like Jesus, he instructed to share it with everyone and even had some left over.

The widow’s mite, the Macedonians, and today’s reading teaches us one thing: we can give even in the midst of poverty and famine. Poor economy or low salary is no excuse for God’s call to be cheerful givers. God has been faithful in providing us our needs. Even that need to give. It should be part of our budget. We don’t expect a king’s pleasure in receiving spares, right? Sure pride will tell us it isn’t much. For how could our little donation help a province in flood? It wouldn’t even suffice a single family’s need for days.  But we’re not to solve the world’s problems. All He wants is for us to share in His kind and selfless nature. To experience His joy and to feel His love for these people. Let’s leave the multiplication issues at His table. Believe that little is much when He is in it!