BECOMING A PLAYER IN THE MARKETPLACE OF LIFE.
BY P. MICHAEL.
2 Kings 4:1-7. "The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, 'Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.'
Elisha replied to her, 'How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?'
'Your servant has nothing there at all,' she said, 'except a small jar of olive oil.'
Elisha said, 'Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.'
She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her, and she kept pouring....."
In life, just as in any marketplace, people are valued by what they bring to the table. As you walk through the marketplace, there are only two types of people: those who are selling, and those who are buying. If you find yourself in neither role, then you’re simply observing from the sidelines, or worse, begging or stealing what others have invested to create.
Take inspiration from the story of the widow in the scriptures whose late husband, a prophet, left behind debt(2kings 4:1-7). When her creditors threatened to take her sons as payment, she turned to the prophet Elisha. He didn’t merely solve her problem—he equipped her with a method to create value. He instructed her, “Go, borrow vessels, borrow not a few.” She obeyed, gathering many containers, and through her obedience, each container was filled with oil until there were no more empty vessels left. This oil was her product, her value, her way into the marketplace.
The lesson is profound: until we invest in ourselves, develop skills, and create value, we remain at the mercy of others. Like the widow, we may have hidden potential waiting to be unlocked. But it takes faith, effort, and courage to bring that potential to the surface. Just as she was empowered to pay her debt and provide for her family, we too must tap into our unique talents and resources, turning them into products or services that others seek.
In the marketplace of life, don’t stand empty-handed. Bring something valuable—something that enriches others. Whether through skills, knowledge, or innovation, ensure you have something to “sell” that will sustain and uplift you.
