Use What You Have

Our experience in life is filed with a variety problems and resources. The challenge of life is making those two elements be in a proper balance. It’s not that our problems ever fully go away, but we would all like to have more resources than problems. The proper mindset to handle problems begins with focusing on using what you have.

When Elijah signals to invite and encourage Elisha to follow him as his predecessor, but putting his cloak on Elisha. We see Elisha using what he has to proclaim his devotion to follow a servant God so he may become a man  of God.

1 Kings 19:19-21

When Elisha sacrifices his twelve oxen, it can be presumed that he was from a wealthy family, with a large amount of land to have  a need of twelve oxen. When Elisha asked to go an say goodby to parents, the response of Elijah was a common response in that time, meaning ‘what have I done to stop you?’. So Elisha was free to do as he wanted.

The choosing to sacrifice his oxen and eat it in celebration of his decision to follow Elijah is a joyful moment. We might focus more on the his family celebrating his decision, but what we might miss is his willingness to use what he has to proclaim who he is following with his life.

Take steps with what you have to proclaim the path that glorifies God. The resources that we have are always enough for what God wants from us.