Except A Little

 
Except a little.
 
3 simple words. That totally rocked my world.
 
I was reading a story (one that I’ve read several times) about a woman and her sons. They were poor and hungry. And they desperately needed a miracle to survive. And they received one. Though not in the way that you would assume.
 
There was no giant check waiting in the mail. No mysterious boxes of groceries that showed up on her doorstep. No generous friends or family who stepped in to help this woman.
 
Actually, it was olive oil that saved her. Olive oil? Yes. You read correctly.
 
The story is found in the bible, in the book of 2 Kings.

“How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing at all,” she said, “except for a little olive oil” (chapter 4, verse 2)

 
The rest of the story goes on to tell how the woman collected jars from her neighbors and friends. She filled each one with the “little olive oil” she had in her home. The oil did not run out until they ran out of jars. Then they sold the oil and lived off the money.
 
What she had in her possession, was common. It was too little to even register in her mind as something of value. When she was asked, “what do you have?” she replied, “nothing.” Yet, this small amount of oil set her and her sons up for the rest of their lives.
 
And I wonder how many people reading this, are in a similar situation?
 
Maybe you’re not about to starve to death. And perhaps you’re not a single parent, but you are fighting a battle. And you feel like you are out of hope.
 
You have courageous dreams, but only a little money.Lofty goals, but only a little time.Big desires, but only a little education.
If someone were to ask you, “what do you have?” you would be fumbling for an answer. But the truth is, you don’t need a lot.
 
       Just a little.
 
The truth is, I think we all have moments of doubt where we wonder if our “little efforts” will actually amount to anything. We live fearful that our “little money” will never multiply. We worry that our “little ambition” will not be enough for the dream that lies deep within us.
 
But let me remind you – “a little” was all God needed. 
 
A little olive oil. A little hard work. A little time.

[Tweet “God loves to take what you think is totally insufficient and turn it into more than enough.”]

So, I ask you, what is “the little” that you have? What is in your heart? Your calendar? Your bank account? Your dreams? Your natural gifts and abilities? Your brain? Your experiences?
When asked, “what do you have in your house,” how will you answer?