Bitter Gourd

“So he said, ‘Then bring some flour.’ And he put it into the pot, and said, ‘Serve it to the people, that they may eat.’ And there was nothing harmful in the pot” (2 Kings 4.41 NKJV).

The ignorance, carelessness and bitterness of one man caused a pot of death to be served to many people. This man went looking for herbs to flavor the stew that all the prophets would be eating later. As he wandered, he found some gourds and decided to chop them up and add them to the pot. He did not ask anyone’s opinion about the gourds–whether they would be beneficial to the soup or not. Instead, he took it upon himself to tamper with the soup, ruining it for an entire group of hungry souls. Some gourds can be eaten, but others are so bitter that they will cause the consumer to throw up. A handful of gourds have toxins that have been known to kill animals and humans. Thankfully, Elisha knew how to turn a bitter situation into a testimony of God’s amazing grace. Elisha threw a little flour into the pot, turning the putrid stew into savory sustenance for everyone. Sometimes bitter people will try to throw their toxins into a situation that effects entire groups of people. We must be careful who we allow to add their “flavor” to the mix; however, as long as we ensure that Jesus (the Bread of Life) permeates the pot, we can trust that God will turn even the sourest of circumstances into an awesome stew of His glory.

“For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6.33 NIV).