First Reading: 2 Kings 4:42-44

Sharing a Little to Feed Many

42 A man from Baal Shalishah came, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, "Give to the people, that they may eat."

43 His servant said, "What, should I set this before a hundred men?"

But he said, "Give the people, that they may eat; for thus says YHWH, 'They will eat, and will have some left over.'"

44 So he set it before them, and they ate, and left some of it, according to the word of YHWH.

World English Bible

How much is enough? And how little will go far? These practical matters are sometimes questions of faith.

Israel, the northern kingdom, was ruled by a series of money hungry, idolatrous depots (Judea was the southern kingdom). God raised up prophets, first Elijah, then Elisha, to challenge the rulers and guide the people.

A man brought Elisha a prophet's tithe, but Elisha decided to share it with the poor. When the man objected, Elisha assured the man: "There will be some left over."

In our culture of material excess, how many times have we run out of time or money or energy? Wouldn't it be amazing to experience abundance from our meager efforts? Is this not what God promises us?