The story in which the question. "What hast thou in the house;'" is asked is well known to all Bible students. It is to be found in II Kings (4:1-7) and, although brief, contains many helpful lessons. It tells of a widow who in her dire need turned to the prophet Elisha for help. She was in debt, and the merciless creditor threatened to take away her sons as bondmen in payment of the debt.
Elisha had no worldly means with which to help her, and his answer implied that her help must come from her own resources. His words were, "What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?" She answered without pride that she had nothing but a pot of oil. He then told her to borrow vessels from her neighbors, shut the door, and fill the vessels from the pot of oil in her house. In strictly obeying his orders she found that her supply was in accordance with the number of vessels she had borrowed; and she was then told to sell the oil, pay her debt, and use the remainder of the money for the needs of her household.
A beautiful story is here told of the abundance of good manifested through Elisha's understanding of God's allness. But read metaphysically it is far more than a beautiful story; it is indeed an orderly presentation of right methods to be used in the solution of any problem, whether physical, financial, mental, or moral.
