What the Shunammite Woman Teaches Us

In 2 Kings 4 we have the story of the Shunammite woman and her interactions with Elisha.  She noticed that Elisha often passed by her house in his responsibilities, and she made a “little chamber” for him so that he could stay with them during his travels (v10).  She and her husband had not been able to have children, and Elisha promised them the miracle of having a son in their old age.  That came to pass, but when the child was young he got sick and died.  When Elisha found out he came at once and was able to bring the boy back to life for this couple.  I think that as we look at some of the details the writers of 2 Kings gave us of these stories, the example of the Shunammite woman has a lot to teach us.

               One lesson from the Shunammite woman that we see is that one of the best ways to solve our own problems is to serve others.  Surely she and her husband had longed to have a child and mourned many years over their inability to do so.  But she said nothing of that to Elisha; rather she noticed a need and went about to fill it.  The account says that “she constrained [Elisha] to each bread” and that “as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread” (v8).  Not only did she insist on feeding him, but she wanted to do more to serve Elisha.  She said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.  Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither” (v9-10).  There’s no evidence that she had any motives other than altruistic ones; she didn’t tell Elisha of her problem of not being able to bear children or any other problems she may have had.  In fact, when Elisha wanted to somehow do something for her in return, he said, “Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee?”  She answered simply, “I dwell among mine own people,” by which I believe she meant, “I have the help I need so you don’t need to do anything for me” (v13).  Elisha had to find out through Gehazi how to help her in return.  She sought to serve without seeking anything in return, and the Lord blessed her for it. 

               A second lesson that I think comes out of this story is that we need persistence in seeking the Lord and following the Lord.  When her son died, she immediately turned to getting help from Elisha.  We read that “she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.”  When she found Elisha, he sent his servant Gehazi on in haste to the boy and he also started towards the woman’s house.  She said to him, “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee” (v24, 30).  The Shunammite woman accompanied him all the way back to her house and he ultimately was able to raise her son from the dead.  She showed great faith in her determination to get to the prophet and then to stay with him and bring him to her house.  I have to think that there is symbolism for us in our lives as we face difficult challenges—one of our first inclinations should be to turn to the Lord’s prophet and to seek to follow His counsel.  We should “slack not” in our determination to hear and follow the words of the prophet and “not leave” our figurative post next to him.   The Shunammite woman received great blessings from the Lord because of her faith and service, and she stands as an ancient example to us of how we should face our trials.  Surely the description of her as a “great woman” was well deserved (v8).