Scripture Reading
2 Kings 4:1-7 (NRSVUE)
Now the wife of a member of the company of prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” He said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels—and not just a few. Then go in, shut the door behind you and your children, and start pouring into all these vessels; when each is full, set it aside.” So she left him and shut the door behind her and her children; they kept bringing vessels to her, and she kept pouring. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” But he said to her, “There are no more.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your children can live on the rest.”
Introductory Remarks:
Many of us pray with hope but live with hesitation. We say we want big, yet we settle for crumbs from the table. This is what it means to play small—to sing about a great God, but think, speak, and act as though we serve a limited one.
This lesson reminds us that a limited mindset cannot receive unlimited blessings. In 2 Kings 4, the widow didn’t just ask—she acted. She gathered vessels, not based on what she already had, but on what she believed God could do. Likewise, Rev. Johnnie Colemon teaches us: “It works if you work it”—but you must work it BIG.
Major Points of the Lesson:
- Get up off your knees and stop begging and pleading to God!
- Megasize your God.
- Live with your head in the clouds and keep your feet on the ground.
Quote:
“There is no virtue in poverty, and no sin in success.” — Rev. Dr. Johnnie Colemon
ASSIGNMENT:
This week, identify one area of your life where you’ve been playing small — in thought, word, or action. Write a bold affirmation to replace that limitation and take one measurable step toward expansion, whether it’s applying for the opportunity, pitching the idea, or stretching your expectations.