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One day, a poor woman came to
Elisha in great trouble. Her husband was dead. He was one of
the sons of the prophets; a good man, but very poor. He owed money,
and died before he could pay his debts. If this good man had lived
longer, he would, no doubt, have tried very hard to earn money to pay what
he owed. It is not right to be in debt. The Bible says,
"Owe no man anything." Romans 13:8. But the poor man
was now dead, and could do nothing; and when the creditor came to ask for
the money, the widow had none to give him. Then the creditor said,
"If I cannot have the debt paid, I must take away thy two sons, and
sell them for slaves." The poor woman cried very much when she
heard this. She had lost her husband, and now must she lose her
children also? She did not know how to get money to pay the debt; so
she went to Elisha, and told her trouble to him. The prophet was
very kind, and willing to help her. Did he help her to escape from
her creditor without paying the debt? or did he pay the money for her
himself? No; Elisha told her she must try to earn the money.
When people are in debt, they should always try to pay their
creditors. It is very dishonest to run away without paying; it is
like stealing. But what could the poor widow do? Elisha asked,
"What hast thou in the house?" The woman answered, "I
have only a pot of oil." Then Elisha told her to go to all her
neighbors, and ask them to lend her some empty vessels. The woman
obeyed, and soon she brought home a great many; for her friends were very
kind, and willing to lend the vessels. But what was she to do with
all these vessels? Elisha told her. He said, "Go to thine
house, and shut the doors. Then take the pot of oil, and pour out
into the empty vessels." The woman and her sons did as Elisha
said. Vessel after vessel they filled with oil; but the oil in the
pot did not grow less; God multiplied it, as He did the oil and the meal
of the poor widow at Zarephath. At last, all the vessels were full
of oil. Then the woman went and told Elisha, and asked, "What
must I do now?" Elisha said, "Go, and sell the oil, and
pay the debt with the money; and then, thou and thy children may li9ve
upon what is left." The widow must pay her debt first.
She must first think about her duty to her creditor, and afterwards about
herself and her children. The oil was soon sold; and the widow had
then plenty of money; and she went directly and paid her debt. This
was right; and God did not leave her without food for herself and
children; for He never forsakes those who trust in Him, and try to please
Him. The poor widow was happy now. She could rest quietly,
because she owed nothing, and had no more fear that her sons would be
taken away and sold for slaves. Poor
people ought to try to be like this widow. She did all she could to
help herself; but she trusted in God alone, and asked Him to teach her
what she must do. Poor people now, if they serve God, will not be
idle nor dishonest. He will not let His people want for what is
good, and right, and best for them. "He relieveth the
fatherless and widow." Psalm 146:9. He comforts
them in their sorrow and poverty, and tells them not to fear, but to trust
in Him for all they want. He says, "Leave thy fatherless
children, I will preserve them alive; and let thy widows trust in
me." Jeremiah 49:11.
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