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.” She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” 2 Kings 4:1,7

Out of all of the possible miracles this woman could have asked for from Elisha, she asked him to help her pay her bills. Think about that for a second. She didn’t ask him to raise her husband from the dead. She didn’t ask for another husband and stepfather for her children. She merely asked the prophet to help with her deceased husband’s debts.

What a practical lesson. She needed help. She asked a man she knew could help her. He did. Everyone won.

If you were in need of this kind of assistance (or food for you and your kids), would you ask for help from people you know would help? I think our pride often gets in the way of asking. Let’s turn the table around a bit: if someone you knew asked for help, would you help? Of course you would.

Our brothers and sisters are there to help when they can. Sometimes they just need to be asked.