Good morning, Five Minute Families. How are you doing today? Do you have running water? Indoor plumbing? A roof over your head? A meal today? 23 out of every 10,000 Americans have experienced homelessness, and over 11% of Americans are living below the poverty level. What do we do if we find our family is experiencing a financial crisis?

In 2 Kings, we read about a widow whose children would be taken into slavery in order to pay the family’s debts. This was standard practice back then. But, what family would ever want to be broken up simply for trying to live? Obviously, that is not standard practice today, but finding ourselves in tough financial times can happen to any family. So, let’s discuss five steps we need to take based on 2 Kings 4:1-7

(paraphrased slightly for time’s sake) [The widow] cried out to Elisha, “My God-fearing husband has died. Now, the creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves.” Elisha asked her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go out and borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Do not get just a few. Then go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these containers. Set the full ones to one side.” So she left. After she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing her containers, and she kept pouring. When they were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he replied, “There aren’t any more.” Then the oil stopped. She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go sell the oil and pay your debt; you and your sons can live on the rest.”

So, what can we learn from this story?

First, appeal to God. The widow appealed to God’s prophet Elisha, but we have the privilege of going directly to our heavenly Father. Bring your prayers and outpouring of fear, concerns, and frustrations to the Lord. He can handle hearing all of it, even if it is from a situation you or someone in your family created.

Second, be willing to use what you already have. Sometimes, God drops manna from heaven because He knows we have no resources. And, other times, He will expect us to be aware of our current blessings and abilities, so mark them all down. Leave nothing out. Maybe you are great at cleaning the house as a family. Ask your church if they need extra hands for the cleaning crew. If your church can’t pay, maybe then your kids can attend camp at no cost. You get the idea.

Third, humble yourselves. Specifically, realize that you may need to ask for help. The widow and her sons asked all their neighbors for their vessels. By asking, they had to admit to these people that they were in need. While we may want to keep our financials in the dark, the reality is that if we are going to trust God, sometimes, we have to open our lives up to others’ awareness.

Fourth, wherever the Lord leads your family to work, barter, or get help, put your full effort into it – in front of and behind the scenes. The widow and her sons were the only ones who knew what was happening behind the scenes. And, that is ok. In fact, it is good. We don’t need to always live in a spotlight. We want God to be the one to get the glory, not ourselves.

Fifth, expect that God will do more than you expected. The oil kept pouring, so the widow asked for another vessel. And, she didn’t know what the oil filling was for. She did each step without knowing what the full detailed outcome would be but she trusted in the Lord, nonetheless. Not only did God’s provision cover debt, it gave this family the opportunity to stay together and have something to live on.

If these five steps don’t apply to you because you are not a family in need at this time, pay attention for signs that someone around you might be in need. Be approachable. Don’t just try to throw money at the problem. Maybe mom or dad needs help writing a quality resume. Maybe they need a cooked meal delivered with all the fixin’s and drinks, big enough for leftovers, to ease a bit of the scheduling burden and give them a bit of breathing room. Listen and try to point out their talents and what they do have while praying for God to move.

Being in a tough financial spot as a family can be challenging, but if you stand together, work together, and pray together, God can and will see you through it. Be blessed!