“‘你去卖油还债，所剩的，你和你儿子可以靠着度日。’” - 王下 4:7
穷人在今天的境况，和以利沙年代那个寡妇的窘境同样真实存在。寡妇面对贫穷和剥削、无助和绝望。留意以利沙如何应对这个危机，他让她参与去探索可持续的收入来源，来维持她自己和儿子未来的生活。
昨天我们明确了应付眼前需要的重要性，然而我们也知道，更大的问题往往要用较长线的办法来解决。
以利沙的做法侧重寡妇的能力、邀请她直接参与、也让她的邻舍有份帮忙、把她“仅有的一瓶油”变为家庭手工业来维持生计。
以绷带裹伤固然有效用，然而，若要帮助人找到新的起点和脱贫的途径，他们便需要有新的技能、知识和机会。
透过教导可持续发展的农业科技、营养和保健、读写和计算能力、领导力和正当运用人权，很多组织和人士都在“教导人捕鱼”，我为他们感谢神，他们这样做，是要彰显神的爱并获得衪所期望所有人都应获得的丰盛生命。
你有没有考虑过要去支持这些事工呢？
祷告
亲爱的神，让具有你形像的穷人受苦，是对你的冒犯。你期望他们能够得到更新的机会，活得更丰盛。求你按你的旨意使用我来改变他们的一生。奉基督之名祈求，阿们。
列王纪下 4:1-7
1有一个先知门徒的妻哀求以利沙说：“你仆人我丈夫死了，他敬畏耶和华是你所知道的。现在有债主来，要取我两个儿子做奴仆。”
2以利沙问她说：“我可以为你做什么呢？你告诉我，你家里有什么？”她说：“婢女家中除了一瓶油之外，没有什么。”
3以利沙说：“你去，向你众邻舍借空器皿，不要少借。
4回到家里，关上门，你和你儿子在里面将油倒在所有的器皿里，倒满了的放在一边。”
5于是妇人离开以利沙去了，关上门，自己和儿子在里面，儿子把器皿拿来，她就倒油。
6器皿都满了，她对儿子说：“再给我拿器皿来。”儿子说：“再没有器皿了。”油就止住了。
7妇人去告诉神人，神人说：“你去卖油还债，所剩的，你和你儿子可以靠着度日。”
Ways To Help (2)
"Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what’s left." - 2 Kings 4:7
The widow’s dilemma can be as real today as it was in Elisha’s time. She faced poverty and exploitation, hopelessness and despair. Notice that Elisha responded to this crisis by engaging her in finding a sustainable income to support herself and her sons.
Yesterday we affirmed the importance of meeting immediate needs. But we also know that bigger problems often call for more sustainable solutions.
Elisha’s response to the widow respects her abilities, invites her participation, engages her neighbors, and transforms her “nothing but a little oil” into a cottage industry to support her family.
While bandages have their uses, new skills, knowledge, and opportunities are needed to help people find new beginnings and pathways out of poverty.
I thank God for the many organizations and people who are “teaching people to fish” by teaching sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and health care, literacy and numeracy skills, leadership and human rights—and who do all that as an expression of God’s love and his desire for abundant life for all people.
Have you considered supporting such important work?
Prayer
Dear God, the suffering of the poor who bear your image is an affront to you. You long for their renewal and flourishing. Use me as you will to help change the story in their lives. In Christ, Amen.
