Sharing as Act of Love—I Kings: 17: 8-24
Sometimes, life is a bit confusing. As a child, we are taught to share from a very young age. [SLIDE—CHILDREN SHARE] When we cling to a toy, parents and teachers will remind us that we need to share our toys with other children. When we cry or fuss as children, we’re told, “Tell me what’s wrong.” Sharing feelings, sharing what we have, sharing our lives are all concepts taught to us as a kid. And then we grow up, and adults are routinely trained in the world that sharing is bad—keep, save, and store up everything. [SLIDE—GREEDY ADULT] And in our society and economy, if you’re not somewhat greedy, you’ll starve. Adults are also told to stop sharing our feelings and thoughts unless you’re paying $200/hr to a therapist. Whatever is going on, hide it, and be professional.
But Mr. Rogers plugged children and often adults back into this idea of the power and inherent goodness of sharing. To share is to love. Our scripture in I Kings for today supports that idea that sharing is very powerful. A little context is needed, however. Growing up, we were taught that this was a story right in the heart of Israel’s rebellion against God. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel were on the throne, and Israel had turned to the worship of false gods, namely Baal. There was a drought as punishment for the wickedness and faithlessness of the people.
But to understand the power of this story, we have to zero in on one key fact. [SLIDE—WIDOW MAKING BREAD] This widow in whom Elijah seeks refuge is not Jewish. She most likely did not believe in God; instead, she was probably a follower of Baal. And she lived in Queen Jezebel’s hometown in Phoenicia, or modern-day Lebanon. More importantly, however, she was poor. In Elijah’s day, widows were considered the poor of the poor. She was a destitute woman, at the point of eating the last food and preparing to starve to death. There was nothing left for her to spare and no societal expectation for her to do so. But she still, out of a heart of generosity and God’s inspiring, shared her final resources with Elijah. But a miracle happened. Because she followed God’s call, her oil and flour never ran out. Their act of sharing led to them being saved and not starving to death.
As people of faith, we see two types of sharing in this story of Elijah and the widow. She shared her resources, the last bit that she had with Elijah, in faith that God would provide just as Elijah said, but he also shared with her. Shortly after this exchange, her son dies. But through Elijah’s prayers and intercessions, God restores life. [SLIDE—SON RESTORED TO LIFE] She shared her resources with Elijah, and he shared something spiritual with her: the hope that comes from the God of life.
The lesson for us is clear—being strong, healthy people who live our lives as God would have us means that we are to share. First, we are to share resources. I am grateful in my life for those who have shared with me. In college, I didn’t laze around—I worked. I taught piano lessons one or two days per week. I played at the Lutheran church every Sunday morning. I worked summers. I sometimes substitute taught at the local Christian school. I sometimes played dinner music when asked. But when you go to a private school, no matter the music or merit scholarships you may get, it’s expensive. And if it weren’t’ for my mother and my uncle sharing generously, I don’t think I could have paid the bills.
As people of God, we should be troubled by the fact that we live in a world where goods and wealth are hoarded while children go hungry. This happens in the richest nation in the history of the world. In Acts 2, we read of a church that shared every resource together—food, goods, talents to build a place where God’s faithful flourished. In a system where greed is the fuel which powers everything, we must be the ones who seek love, sharing, grace, and giving to those who suffer. Had the widow in I Kings rejected Elijah’s words, God’s last remaining prophet would have gone hungry, turned away. The world we live in operates according to greed. We must respond with kindness and generosity just like a Savior who has given life so generously to us.
But we must also share the spiritual aspect of our lives. When the people who knew Mr. Rogers most were asked when they saw him most vulnerable and human, they answered with stories of him sharing feelings. When his long-time housekeeper was at the end-stages of cancer, he wept loudly. When his friend Henri Nowen, a theologian, died, or his director on the set died, he cried inconsolably. He also often addressed anger and ways to safely work through it. For Mr. Rogers, feelings mattered, and they were part and parcel of what was holy.
But Jesus also shared his feelings—he wept at Lazarus’s tomb, and he unleashed a righteous anger in the defiled temple. The writer of the book we have studied along with this sermon series said this about Mr. Rogers, “Grief wasn’t a burden to be lifted or a problem to be prayed against. It lived among the intricacies of loss, waiting patiently for the work of healing, meanwhile, [unbothered].”
Too often we are hesitant to share the places we feel vulnerable. When the widow’s son died, she came to Elijah and said this: ““O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?” Her words were filled with pain, suffering, shame, and blame over the death of her son. All of her emotions were racing—she both accuses Elijah and blames herself.
Sharing faith and love. Sharing through how we live and feel. And for his part, Elijah does not hold back. He cries out to God, saying, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”
Too often we’re taught not to be honest, direct, or even question God. But here, Elijah, one of God’s most significant prophets in the entire Bible, does just that. It is never disrespectful to openly share your pain with the God of all love and comfort. And truth be told being honest with God makes for a much better relationship with God. If you’re mad, God knows it anyway, just be honest.
Sharing is one of the most powerful tools we have in faith. In sharing our resources, talents, and abilities, we help a world in need. We alleviate suffering, just as Jesus did when he was on earth. No one wants to hear about faith if they’re hungry, worried about where they will sleep, or are so overwhelmed with suffering that life doesn’t make sense. But we are also called on by God to share spiritually as well. That means talking about feelings, understanding how to manage anger, acknowledging and working through hurts, and talking about how faith has helped us. In a world that is so overwhelmed by everything, we need this stories of courage and hope more than ever. And in this sharing, we find love.
I want to share with you this clip of Mr. Rogers talking about sharing and working together, hear the words he says at the end. [VIDEO CLIP][FINAL SLIDE AFTER] Remember those words when you share and help others and when you share from your spirit as well: I’m proud of you. You know that. And as Mr. Rogers always said, “I like you just the way you are.” May we be willing to share of our gifts and our spirit, for to share is to love.
Worship Video https://www.facebook.com/share/v/otyg4M8QdMGSkq4C/?mibextid=KsPBc6