Hidden Heroes: The Unnamed Widow, Radically Obedient to God

by David Chadwick

An unnamed widow is our next hidden hero. Someone whose name we do not even know, but who played a profound role in God's story.

Her story is found in 2 Kings 4. This woman was greatly in debt. The creditor was banging down her door to reclaim the money she owed. He said he would take her two sons as slaves if she could not come up with the funds. All she had was one small flask of olive oil. So she went to the prophet Elisha for help.

Elisha told her to go around to neighbors and ask for a lot of empty jars. In faith, she obeyed. The Lord multiplied her one small flask in a miraculous act and provided her with jar after jar after jar of oil. Eventually, she had enough money to pay off all of her debts.

This kind of faith is hard to find. It’s a radical faith that is willing to look foolish in order to fully obey the Lord.

This unnamed widow had a story marked by her tremendous faith. The lessons in this story are profound. Desperate to hear from God, she went to Elisha, a trusted man of God, to ask for help. Her desperation prompted her to take whatever measures were necessary to find a solution. With no visible answer, she knew there was nowhere else to go except to God. Once she was given insight into what to do, she acted and did what God asked of her.

Faith without works means nothing (James 2:17). In order to live the way God has called us to live as his followers, we must not only hear what he says, but we must also courageously do what he asks.

We can easily see the connection between faith and obedience through this unnamed widow. She did not just pray, she obeyed. In her humble act of faith, God not only provided for her needs, but he did so in abundance (Ephesians 3:20).

Can you think of a situation where your great faith prompted you to cry out to God? Then, you will most likely also remember how his response prompted you to act with radical obedience.

Oh, that God would grant every one of us the gift of faith like this widow, to meet our every need in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).