Investing in things that matter most.

I have often wondered at the busy-ness of humanity. I experienced what it means to feel unwelcome. Do u ever get the feeling that someone would rather be alone than have u around them even for a short while. Often I am saddened at how busy (Martha style) we have become. We would rather spend time busy, comfortable than show love (Mary way) even for a short while. I love having friends come over to my small room, take a cup of tea, share stories and have a great laugh.  Often times, we are afraid that our jar of oil will run dry if we share the little left and we will lose our source of survival. This reminds me of Elijah and the poor widow. Look at this scenario:


One day a poor gaunt starving woman gave up something . She was weak from  lack of food. Her husband was dead and now her son was too weak to help. Her legs and arms were thin spindles and her face was bleak. There was a great depression and poverty had depleted her provisions. It was time to let hope die. They just had enough food for one scant meal. Then perhaps God  would be merciful and let them die. Meanwhile, weary, travel worn, hungry Elijah trudges into town from a long 100 mile walk through the burning sand. God sent him here. He has hope that God has everything organized and finally for the first time in nearly a year he will eat a nice warm meal cooked by human hands. He arrived and realized that God's provision happened to be an undernourished widow with and very hopeless. There must be a mistake here. When he asks for help from his appointed benefactor she tells him that she is at the bottom of the barrel and about to cook her funeral meal. If i was Elijah, I would have said: "Pardon me Madam, but I have obviously confused you with someone else. --Lord: How about a rich widow? How often the situations of life seem just the opposite of where we think God is leading. But she was willing to stop, think and be merry! How  ironic this might appear.


At times we make others feel  unwelcome, draining us of  our precious oil (time, resources,), consuming our space. If only we took time to love, to share, how wonderful it would be.