The Pot Lady
Adapted from 2 Kings 4:1-7.
The family lived in a small village in Israel, Daddy was the Pastor, Mummy does all those many jobs that mummies do, as well as all those extra jobs that only the Pastor’s wife is expected to do, so they had a busy household. To add to the household, there were amazing children, two strapping boys.
Life was wonderful, always lots to do in the village with home life and village life. You remember the story of Lazarus, well this sort of happened here in this village, except Daddy who was the Pastor died, was buried in the cemetery and that is where he stayed. Mummy and the children so missed Daddy and things were tough, until the “Debt Collector” sent a note that in a couple of days he would be around to collect on all the money they owed him. Mummy was distraught as with the Funeral costs and so many other things that happened at a death in the Family, the minimal savings were all gone.
Daddy as a Pastor did not earn much, and with all those in need about them that they helped, there was not a lot left over at the end of each week. The money lender knew this so he said; “I will make you a one-time generous offer, I am prepared to wipe that huge debt; BUT I will take both your two sons as my slaves. Your boys are good with animals so I will train him as Plough Boys and herds-men. How could Mummy get out of this impossible mess?
The Prophet Elisha was in the village for a few days, so she immediately visited him and cried out her plight to him, he listened quietly, and then asked her, “What do you have in your house?” Well nothing Mummy replied, well except for a wee jar of oil.” “Here’s what you do,” said Elisha, “Go up and down the street and borrow jugs and bowls and urns and vases from all your neighbours. And not just a few – all you can get. Then come home and lock the door behind you, you and your sons. Pour oil into each container; when it is full set it aside.”
So mummy wiped her tears away, went home, and they all sat down together, Mummy told the children of what the Prophet Elisha had instructed them to do, so with a shout of glee, they were all raring to go. As they knew everybody, they all split up and went door knocking, and pots and urns and all sorts of things were pouring up the street and into the Pastor’s home, she had gone potty. Even mummy got an odd look from the lady across the road, she only had a huge ornamental water-pot urn at her front door that she hated, but it came with the house, and in moments it too was transported across the street.
Everybody stopped for lunch, pots were stacked up everywhere, and even spilling out into the street. Time to wash and to clean, Mummy said, so everyone got cleaning and in no time they were stacked in rows drying in the afternoon sun, so the Pastors wife became “The Pot Lady.” So as evening drew nearer, every pot was taken back indoors, the doors closed and locked, and shutters closed over the windows. Inside was a sea of pots of every colour and shape and size, and that huge urn from across the street.
“Time to start,” Mummy said, “Please bring me the first Pot.” So the first pot was put before Mummy, and she started to pour, and pour and pour some more, and when it was full, Mummy said, “Another Pot please,” and so on and on they went, and even the huge urn from across the street was full up, then Mummy said, “another pot please boys,” but there were no more pots spare, in the house, or even in the village, and then the oil stayed. “She went and told the story to the man of God. He said, “Go sell the oil and make good on your debts. Live, both you and your sons on what’s left.”
So that’s how Mummy, the widow of the Pastor, became known as “The Pot Lady.” The Money Lender was so taken by the big Urn from across the street, and he did not actually want little children, so he bartered and got the Urn full of oil and then immediately cancelled the debt. So if you ever wanted the bestest, the freshest and the finest of quality of Olive Oil, just visit “The Pot Lady” who along with her sons are the premium oil supplier in the whole country.
Vast and Broad is a Mother’s Love for her Family, with her Faith and her wee pot of Oil, and God’s Blessing, Amazing things happened. Question; How would the story go if you or I stood before Elisha, how many pots would we be gathering in, by many or by few? Would we be able to pay down the debt because of our faith and faithful actions, or would we be sold off into slavery because of inaction and minimal actions through minimal faithfulness? Revelation 20:12 “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Matthew 9:28-29 “Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.” So how big is your Faith? Do you obtain 20/20 vision and a house full of pots full to the brim with oil, and your Cup Runneth Over? Mark 9:24 “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
