DoublePortion_October2023_8.5x5.5_REV.indd

A good friend of mine who grew up as a pastor’s kid recalls revival weeks as a child when visiting preachers would stay at his house. He especially loved evenings after the services when folks would gather for dessert and coffee, swapping stories. Such hospitality was typical in early, rural American life as itinerant preachers would make their way across the country preaching, staying with whoever would take them in and provide board.With the arrival of railroads, preachers would travel to their destinations on Saturday. Housed and fed by host families from the congregation, they fulfilled their speaking duties and boarded the train on Sunday afternoon or Monday morning. Of course different iterations of the Elisha rooms still exist for the purposes of services, meetings, and retreats. Otherwise, motels and similar accommodations have taken over. Content- The prophet was so appreciative of the woman’s generosity, he wondered if there was something he could do for her. So he sent his servant Gehazi to her to ask, “You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now, what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?” (2 Kings 4:13). Rath er than take advantage of the situation, she humbly responded, “I have a home among my own people” (2 Kings 4:13). In other words, life is good and I’m right where I need to be. Such satisfaction in life is rare, even in these prosperous times in which we live. According to Shakespeare in King HenryVI, “My crown is in my heart and not on my head . . . my crown called content; a crown that seldom kings enjoy.” Someone said, “We’ll miss con tentment if keeping rather than releasing becomes our objective. We too often love things and use people, when we should be using things and loving people.We are most content when we’re grateful for what we own, satisfied with what we make, and generous to those in need.”

83