Let’s take a second look at the Bible passage that was reviewed in the previous article.
She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 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.
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.”
2 Kings 4:5-7 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/2ki.4.5-7.NIV
Observe also that the long-term prosperity of this family ended up being related to the amount of their faith and the amount of obedience that they showed. For instance:
- If they had only asked a few neighbors for jars, or only collected a few containers – if they had given up without working hard to borrow a lot of jars – then their resulting funds would have been less.
- If they had slacked off in going out and selling the oil, perhaps the remainder would have gone bad, leaving them with less to live on in the future.
I’m not trying to promote a philosophy of “God helps those who help themselves” or that we must “earn” God’s blessings. However, I believe that work – meaningful, honest work – is a gift from God. After all, why would Adam have been given the command to tend the garden of Eden before sin came in (see Genesis 2:15) if work wasn’t a good thing that God wanted for humankind?
Perhaps this is where righteous provision differs from so-called “handouts”. Again, I certainly do not think that it’s wrong to give someone what they need to get them through the next day (or through a cold winter night), but God often provides for people in the long run, too.
Of course we are dependent upon God every day. God might ask us to trust Him for our “daily bread”, and He doesn’t show us every detail of the future right away. However, where we are like Him when we are generous in sharing His blessings to us with others, perhaps we are even more like Him when we help other people find blessings that will last them their entire lives.
- Remember when Jesus fed thousands of people, but there were baskets of leftovers to keep providing?
- Remember when Jesus called fishermen to follow Him, but also provided a huge catch of fish (see Luke 5:1-11), which I suspect would have sold for a good price to support the disciples and/or their families)?
- Remember times when Jesus healed someone, allowing them to get a job to provide for themselves?
- Remember when a disabled man looked to Peter and John for a donation, but Peter pronounced healing upon him in Jesus’ name? (See Acts 3:1-10)
So, what might this look like for us?
- Maybe we can teach someone life skills, whether to get a job or to manage their money.
- Maybe we can provide someone with a chance to work for what they need, rather than just giving them something.
- Maybe we can donate to a ministry where those with less money can purchase gifts at a reduced price, providing for their family while retaining their dignity.
- Maybe we can do something else to help someone beyond a single meal or a couple of outfits.
I don’t know what this looks like in your life today, but I think that there are plenty of opportunities like this that we can step up to, when God shows them to us. If He does provide you with the ability to help people for the long run, won’t you share that in the comments below, so that others can consider doing something similar?
From Sunday School lesson prepared for June 15, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1 & 2 Kings, by Jesse C. Long, Jr. © 2002 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 