What Can You Do?

2 Kings 4:1-7

Message No. 0803 | Twitter @GodandUs | www.wisdom-speaks.ca

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Many people think that they are so disadvantaged that they cannot afford to start any business. This writing proves them wrong and also encourages them to step out and start something because God has promised to bless the works of our hands.

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I’ve never met anyone who has no aspiration to live a good life. God did not just command us to dominate the earth, He also put the spirit in us to want to do so. He wants us to work (Genesis 2:15), to conquer our environments (Genesis 1:28) and to lead (Genesis 1:26). He wants us to be the head only (Deuteronomy 28:13), and not the tail. He wants us to plant, and He wants to bless our crops (Deuteronomy 28:4). It is His original plan to envelope His children with all-round blessings (Deuteronomy 28:3).

As we already know, God did not design us to live by miracles only. He wants us to live by every word that proceeds out of His mouth, including the instructions to work. And while there may be few people who hate work and want to sleep all day, the majority of people want to work. The problem people have is what to do when work is not easily forthcoming. This is where initiative comes in. It starts from the simple question, what can I do?

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, a deceased son of the prophets left his wife with debts, for which the creditors threatened to take her sons as slaves to pay for the amounts owed. When she cried to prophet Elisha, the prophet did not tell her to go home and she would find money waiting for her at home (this was not impossible for God but God does not work by miracles only), he asked her, what do you have in your house? Then the prophet told her, go and borrow vessels from your neighbours (task number 1), then pour out your jar of oil into all the vessels (task number 2), then sell them (task number 3).

Some people might think that the above tasks were very easy tasks, but wait until you knock on a neighbour’s door and he or she tells you things you do not want to hear, or refuses to open the door, or says they don’t have vessels to give you, or charges you for the vessel or demands a cut from whatever you want to use the vessel for. When the oil is being poured into the vessels, it could have spilled, creating fall hazards for the family or resulting in a messy condition. It could have been very difficult to sell the oil, the market may be slow or people may want to buy on credit, or the owners of the vessels may be asking for their vessels before the oil was sold - there could be any number of challenges.

The question for God’s children who are looking for work or looking for God to bless them is, what can they do? And this is not an easy question to answer, but there’s got to be something they can do. I’ve heard of graduates who started to make bean cake when they could not find work, and they were selling on the roadside until God multiplied the business and they became big employers of labour. There are people who, after not finding work, started to wash clothes for their neighbours, or offered to babysit for their neighbours or started evening classes for children in their neighbourhood. These jobs may seem menial or small, or terrible, but wait until you hear little things that became big.

In 2007, unable to afford their rent payments in San Francisco, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia decided to rent out three air mattresses placed in the living room of their apartment to attendees of a sold-out conference, including making breakfast for them as part of the package. Since hotels were fully booked in the city, the idea was to provide people who would ordinarily be almost stranded, a place to lay their heads and eat breakfast before going for the conference. This was a terrible idea, as this duo was inviting strangers to live with them, but they were desperate for rent money, else they would be evicted. In 2008, having been impressed with their success, they launched their website, Airbedandbreakfast.com, in what has become Airbnb today. The success speaks for itself.

In 1907, two teenagers, James Casey and Claude Ryan, took a loan of $100 to start a foot and bicycle messenger services. They were initially known as the American Messenger Company. After seeing traction, they acquired vehicles, expanded and became the United Parcel Service (UPS) in 1919. They have since grown into a global parcel delivery giant offering services with trucks and cargo aircrafts.

You can start your own business with little and with patience and perseverance. If you have a vehicle, register it for Uber or Lyft and get moving. I’ve met many graduates who are doing the same. If you need some money to start, borrow some, and do not keep telling yourself that God does not want you to borrow. If you borrow for investment, this is not wrong, provided you are not reckless. The prophet told the widow’s wife to borrow vessels. If you don’t have any idea what to do but you have a computer and internet connection, ask ChatGPT what kind of business you can start in your locality with little money, and you’ll see a long list.

In Ecclesiastes, the Bible says:

Ecclesiastes 9:10-11 NKJV

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. I returned and saw under the sun that- The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.

Nothing is easy, but if you’re not lazy, God will bless whatever you lay your hands on - promise. 

What to Do?

Do what you can. Just don’t sit idle.