Along The Way:
Leaders Who Care –Elisha
(Written By
Kevin A. Hall 06.30.17)
Throughout Elisha’s ministry, we see the heart of a man who
cares much for the basic needs his ministry partners. We should practice his
servant leadership. He prayed to God for the deepest desire of the Shunammite woman
– God gave her a son (2 Kings 4:17). When there was a famine in Gilgal, he was
instrumental in providing a large pot of stew for the men at the School of the
Prophets (2 Kings 4:38-41). When a stranger brought food to the school, he
prayed and God miraculously stretched the food to feed everyone with leftovers
(2 Kings 4:42-44). When the School outgrew its space, he agreed to supervise
the work at a new location by the River Jordan (2 Kings 6:1-3). He was engaged
and involved at all levels. How else will a leader get to know his people? We
must enter their world. When the axe head fell in the river, Elisha was
concerned and through another miracle, retrieved the borrowed axe head (2 Kings
6:5-7). There was no concern too small for him to take to God.
As Christian leaders, we too should care about the needs of
those we’ve been assigned to shepherd and lead. In the case of the widow whose
sons were about to be taken as slaves for a debt owed by her deceased husband,
Elisha asked her “What do you have in the house”? She replied “a jar of oil” (2
Kings 4:2). He was careful to get her involved in the process of meeting her
need and not just providing a handout. A good leader cares, but also finds ways
to empower his people to become independent in-Christ and not become needy.
References:
The Life Application Study Bible (NASB). The United States of
America: Zondervan (2000)
Smith, J. The History of Israel. Joplin, MO: College Press
(1995)
Matthew Henry Commentary: Retrieved from: http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/2-kings/4.html
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