Do you ever feel like your worries are too insignificant for God? Do you think He has more important things to do than attend to your tricky relationships, hidden regrets, or dwindling bank account? If you’re tempted to believe these lies, consider an overlooked story in 2 Kings 6. It's a story of small people, small problems, and a small miracle that can transform our understanding of God.
The
story preceding this one is about a great man, a high-ranking figure: Naaman,
the commander of Syria’s army (2 Kings 5). The passage that follows is about an
even more important person: the king of Syria himself (2 Kings 6:8–33). Both
men are influential and powerful.
In
contrast, the people in this story are referred to as “the sons of the prophets,”
a group gathered around a prophet like Elisha, learning from him and serving
him. These individuals work in humble conditions, live in modest homes, and are
not famous or important. We’re not even told their names. Yet, this passage
tells their story. Sandwiched between the narratives of a great military leader
and a famous political figure is an episode about ordinary people involved in a
local affair. This focus on small people is a recurring theme in Elisha’s
ministry (see 2 Kings 4) and throughout the Bible (notably in the Gospel of
Mark).
The
Bible’s interest extends not just to small people for whom things are going
well, but also to those with problems. This is evident for the sons of the
prophets in 2 Kings 6, who face two issues.
Small Problems
Their
first problem is a housing issue. “Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha,
‘See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us’” (2 Kings
6:1). This is relatable. Several years ago, our house felt cramped as our kids
grew older, so we moved to a larger one. Our housing needs didn’t seem
significant enough for inclusion in Holy Scripture. Perhaps the sons of the
prophets felt the same. But here’s their story — in the Bible. Apparently, the
small problems of small people matter to God.
The
sons of the prophets present not just a problem but a proposed solution. “‘Let
us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for
us to dwell there.’ And he answered, ‘Go’” (2 Kings 6:2). Sometimes God meets
our needs through miraculous means (as He will in this story). Other times, He
helps us through our own efforts. Elisha doesn’t make a new house appear out of
thin air; instead, the sons of the prophets go on a logging expedition and
build a house. God often works this way. According to Jesus, God feeds the
birds of the air — but as one of my seminary professors used to say, you don’t
see birds lying on their backs, waiting for God to drop worms into their beaks.
He feeds them through their own efforts. Yes, God can provide manna from heaven
and bread by ravens (1 Kings 17:3–6), but His usual means of provision is
through our own hard work (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
“Ask
God for His help. Give Him your burden. Surrender your problem. He wants you to
ask.”
Their
second problem involves a lost axe head. “But as one was felling a log, his axe
head fell into the water, and he cried out, ‘Alas, my master! It was borrowed’”
(2 Kings 6:5). This seems minor in the grand scheme of things. But when a
problem happens to us, it doesn’t feel minor. When it’s our injured leg, our
dented car, our negative job review, or our extended sickness, the relatively
small problem feels significant. The unnamed man in verse 5 “cried out” —
indicating real distress. He can’t afford to replace the borrowed axe head.
It’s a small problem, but not to him. Will God even notice? Look what happens
next.
“Then
the man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, he cut
off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, ‘Take
it up.’ So he reached out his hand and took it” (2 Kings 6:6–7). Elisha, though
a prophet, is a man and needs to ask where the axe head fell. However, he also
represents God and performs miracles by God’s power. God Himself, through His prophet,
is involved in this small miracle.
Elisha
throws a stick into the water, and the axe head floats. We’re not told why a
stick is used, but this is undoubtedly a miracle. Iron doesn’t float. As
miracles go, it’s a small one. No one is raised from the dead. The fate of a
nation doesn’t hang in the balance. There are few witnesses. Even the ending of
the story is undramatic. “And he said, ‘Take it up.’ So he reached out his hand
and took it.” That’s it. End of story.
So,
here’s a summary: Some small people have a couple of small problems, and God
meets their needs — through their own efforts and a small miracle. This story
shows that God cares about us and our everyday problems. He acts on our behalf.
If we’re attentive, we’ll see that in our own lives.
No Prayer Too Small
I’ve
seen God act this way in my own life. A few years ago, I agreed to lead a
graveside service for the deceased brother of a friend who lives in town. My
friend isn’t a follower of Jesus, so this seemed like a great opportunity to
serve him and deepen our friendship. The service was scheduled for 1:00, but I
mistakenly thought it began at 1:30. I arrived at about 1:20, thinking I was
early. But as I walked toward the grave, I saw many cars and a crowd of people.
I discovered I was twenty minutes late and felt sick to my stomach.
Psalm
147:3–4 says that God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He
determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.” God
does big things (like creating and naming the stars) and little things (like
binding up the wounds of sad people). So, here’s an invitation: Ask God for His
help. Give Him your burden. Surrender your problem. He wants you to ask. He
sees and cares, no matter how humble and hidden the issue. God took on flesh
and came to earth as a tiny, fragile, helpless baby born to a manual laborer.
By doing so, He was saying, loud and clear, “I care about small people. I was
one myself.” Let’s bring our problems, big and small, to Him.
.jfif)
