God's unending supply of oil and my little jars

I have to say that often I feel guilty about my involvement in the ministry.

While I know that I am spreading the Word and love of Jesus Christ when I go into the jail, I am entirely unable to give more than I get from doing so!

Of course, there is the serenity that I get from doing what I know God wants me to do, and there is the fact that doing something to make others feel better is a great feeling. But I feel like I am learning so much from the interaction with the women there.

Strange, isn't it? I mean, I didn't need to learn about what it's like to be imprisoned. Having been imprisoned by not just jails and prisons, but also by drugs and a refusal to believe in God for many years, I think that I am an expert on that topic.

Let me give you an example of just one way I feel like I am getting more from this than they are.

The women I deal with are in the county jail. For the most part, they have not been sentenced. They are waiting for court or for bail or for a transfer to some more "settled" place, perhaps state prison or a drug program. I have talked to women who say they "might leave Wednesday night," or "hope that the judge lets me walk when I go to court tomorrow."

In other words, they are not sure what tomorrow holds for them.

This makes me realize daily that none of us is sure what tomorrow holds for us. The ladies are just more aware of it. I thank God that I am reminded all the time that I am not sure what tomorrow holds for me.

Isn't this a blessed thing? Like the widow in 2 Kings 4:1-7, my small amount of oil continues to flow copiously as I fill all the empty ones. It is amazing enough that I end up with more oil, but I have to smile as I realize that if I weren't pouring it out, I would still have just that tiny amount of oil.

It is not until we pour out what we have that we find an unending supply!