BIBLE STUDY 1
Pastor Angela Trejo Haager
Mexican Lutheran Church
2 Kings 4:1-7 “Allies”
-The biblical text that we will study today tells us about an emergency situation, a food crisis, and a political crisis.
-At the center of the story is a woman and children who are in a vulnerable situation.
-The economic system had failed, the land was no longer used to plant communally, the land did not produce the necessary food to cover the population's needs.
-Many families went into debt asking for loans to help them survive, but very soon they could not make the payments. And when this happened, women, girls and boys did extraordinary, heavy and cruel work to somehow pay off the loan.
-Can you imagine such a complicated situation for women? And it was more difficult when a woman was widowed.
-But here, dear sister, we have to identify another unfair situation. The law contemplated these situations of economic crisis and prepared people who could be solidarity providers, that is, they lent their money to the neediest and did not collect more taxes, and even if the family could not pay them, they forgave the debt and helped them get ahead with their economy.
-You can look in the book of Proverbs 19:17, where the intention is to support economic needs in the face of a crisis in society and politics. To these people who were dedicated to lending, they were even named Yahweh's allies, because they were supportive and united with the neediest.
-On the other hand, there were providers who were dedicated to making a profit and generally represented the tax system.
-The widowed woman in this story faces a lender of the tax system, who has no compassion, not even knowing that her husband, the breadwinner, had died. He threatens to take the two sons and take them as servants without pay.
-From this anguish, the woman who had been the wife of a prophet, according to what verse 1 tells us (this is what the communities that walked with Elisha, who were prophets who work with the people) were called, goes in search for the prophet Elisha.
-The prophet does not have the financial means to help her either, but he shows solidarity and they both think of a solution to face the situation. Can you imagine that she was not the only woman in this situation, do you think there were many other women who went to look for the prophet?
-And from the house there are two elements, vessels and oil, to face the economic crisis. The woman goes with the neighbors and among all they manage to share the oil.
-The woman locks herself in the house and together with her children fill the vessels and then sell it, they manage to pay off their debt and have enough to survive for a long time.
TO THINK ABOUT:
-At this time of health crisis, the economic situation of our countries is worsening, and it is probable that the economic debts will become much larger and deeper. Families are affected and it is women who carry a very heavy burden to solve the food issue. Even if there is a male to provide, filling the table with food is a tough job.
-We, as women, are locked up and are likely to be overwhelmed and worried about the economy of our family, we are also violated in word or deed when there is frustration in the family members.
-Do you think this story helps us think of creative ways to help economies?
-Can you think about working from your family or your church in solidarity aid to be Yahweh's allies? Do you identify as an ally in your environment?
-How is the economic system in your city? Can we change a whole structural system? Or perhaps we can observe from our confinements that it is that strategy that could support us to heal our debts and sustain us in a dignified way.
-It is likely that girls and boys are suffering the consequences of this whole situation, what can we do to protect them?
-We invite you to reflect on this topic at your home or in the women's network of your church.
