The inspiration for today's blog is a Sunday sermon by Pastor Mark Lang at 180 Church in Detroit, MI. He began with 2 Kings 4:1-7 — Elisha and the jar of oil.

A widow is telling Elisha (a prophet and man of God) that the man to whom her husband owed a debt is going to take her two sons as slaves. Elisha says, "What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?"

The woman answers, "... nothing in the house except a jar of oil."

Elisha tells her to gather many empty jars and pour the oil into them until they are full. When she has done this, he tells her to sell the jars. She will be able to pay what she owes and "You and your sons can live on the rest.”

Do You Have Enough?

Let's use a metaphor of the house being ourselves. When someone asks, "What gifts do you have? What is your strength?" Most of us probably answer as the woman did: "Nothing." But she did have something, didn't she? She didn't think it was enough, so the jar of oil was an afterthought. She didn't think she had anything of value.

When she follows the word of God (as given through Elisha), she is able to pour out what she has into many empty containers. As a result, she finds abundance and has plenty for her and her sons to live on.

We all have within our own houses (our selves) something of value. It might not seem like it, or it might not seem like enough, but it's there. When we go to God and ask for guidance (the woman went to Elisha for help) and follow His word, we are able to take our gifts and talents and pour them out to fill up other people. There is always enough.

God Always Has More

If you are faithful and diligent with what you have, God will give you more. There is growth in God. Take a look at an apple, for example. Each apple contains five or so seeds, each capable of growing into a new tree that will produce hundreds of apples. Abundance is everywhere.

So, what do you have in your house? What do you have that you can pour out and fill up other people? You may not even know how valuable your gift is because, to you, it's just a normal, ordinary aspect of yourself. Consider asking God (or the Universe, higher self, whatever you like to call that universal, loving, creative Spirit) what your "jar of oil" is. Then find a way to give it to others and watch how it multiplies.

My Jar of Oil

I have often struggled with discovering my gift. After much contemplation, personality tests, and trial-and-error, I know that my gift is teaching. I loved being a teaching assistant in graduate school. When I get to train or teach someone at my job, I absolutely light up. I feel alive in an otherwise dead-end job. I've been told that I'm good at training, and some people even seek me out because they say I make things easy to understand.

Now that I have found my jar of oil, I am searching for a way to give it to others. That's where this website, blogs, and podcast come in. I love teaching physics and astronomy, and doing it in such a way that is fun and easy.

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a message or follow me and ask all your questions!

What's In Your House?

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:10