2 Kings 9:1-5: a reflection

1Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Put your belt on your waist, take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2When you come there, find Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his brothers, and take him to an inner room. 3Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘The LORD says, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door, flee, and don’t wait.” 4So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. 5When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting. Then he said, “I have a message for you, captain.” Jehu said, “To which one of us?” He said, “To you, O captain.”

Elisha calls one of the sons of the prophets, an unnamed young man, and sends him on a pivotal errand: to go to Ramoth-Gilead, find Jehu, anoint him king over Israel, and then flee. The young prophet is not a famous figure; he is simply given a task by Elisha, and he goes and does it. Through this obscure, unnamed servant, God accomplishes something momentous: the anointing of the king who would carry out his judgment. The humble servant did the errand God gave him, and it mattered greatly.

Notice how God accomplished a momentous thing through an obscure, unnamed servant. The young prophet was not a great or famous figure; he was simply sent on an errand, told to go, anoint Jehu, and flee. And he went and did as he was told. Through this humble servant, willing to carry out the task given him, God accomplished the anointing of a king. The greatness of the outcome did not depend on the greatness of the servant, but on his willingness to do the errand God, through Elisha, had given him.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can think our part too small or obscure to matter. We are not, most of us, great or famous figures; we are given ordinary errands, humble tasks, small parts to play. And we can imagine that such obscure service does not much matter. But God accomplished a momentous thing through the obscure young prophet who simply did the errand given him. Do not despise the humble task or obscure part God gives you, imagining it too small to matter; God accomplishes his purposes through obscure servants who are willing to do the errands he gives. Be willing, like the young prophet, to carry out the task God sets before you, however humble your role; the greatness of what God does through you depends not on your prominence but on your willingness to do what he gives, as God anointed a king through an unnamed young man who simply went and did as he was told.

Lord, Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets, an unnamed young man, and sent him on a pivotal errand: to go to Ramoth-Gilead, find Jehu, anoint him king, and then flee. The young prophet was not a famous figure; he was simply given a task, and he went and did it. Through this obscure, unnamed servant, you accomplished something momentous. Show me how you accomplished a momentous thing through an obscure servant. He was not a great or famous figure; he was simply sent on an errand. And he went and did as he was told. The greatness of the outcome did not depend on the greatness of the servant, but on his willingness to do the errand you had given him. Take that to my heart, for I can think my part too small or obscure to matter. I am not a great or famous figure; I am given ordinary errands, humble tasks, small parts to play. And I can imagine that such obscure service does not much matter. But you accomplished a momentous thing through the obscure young prophet who simply did the errand given him. Keep me from despising the humble task or obscure part you give me, imagining it too small to matter; you accomplish your purposes through obscure servants willing to do the errands you give. Help me be willing, like the young prophet, to carry out the task you set before me, Lord, however humble my role, knowing that what you do through me depends not on my prominence but on my willingness to do what you give.