A Starving Widow Viewed from China and Russia

The full video of this teaching is available at the bottom of this post and this link.

A POOR WOMAN’S LAST MEAL

I love the Old Testament prophet Elijah because he was a straight talker—just like I prefer to be. If I ever sugarcoat something, it’s only because I can tell the other person would rather have it dipped in chocolate.

Listen to how blunt he was with King Ahab:

“You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.” – 1 Kings 18:18 (NLT)

I love him because he was rough around the edges and shook things up on God’s behalf when needed. Elijah confronted Ahab head-on, declaring there would be no rain—not a drop—until God said so. And just like that, the land began to dry up. The drought dragged on, the land withered, and Elijah’s chest became the target of all of the spears from King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s royal army!

God had him go into hiding, first by a brook where ravens brought him meat every morning and evening. But eventually, the brook dried up because there was no rainfall. And Elijah was left standing there, probably thinking, “Alright, God… what now?”

That’s where this story picks up — 1 Kings 17:8-16.

That’s when the word of the Lord came to him: “Go to Zarephath, in Sidon. I’ve commanded a widow there to feed you.”

Zarephath was a foreign town, smack in the middle of Baal-worshipping territory. And a widow was supposed to provide for him? Widows were already among the most vulnerable in society, scraping by with barely enough to survive. Yet, God sent His prophet to someone everyone else would have overlooked. Elijah might’ve raised an eyebrow, but he went. No hesitation. Just obedience.

When he arrived at the city gates, there she was—gathering sticks. Elijah called out to her, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar? So I can have a drink?”

And just like that, she turned to go get it. But before she took more than a few steps, Elijah added, “Oh, and while you’re at it…bring me a piece of bread.”

That stopped her in her tracks. She turned around, and you could see the desperation in her eyes. “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she said, “I don’t have any bread. Just a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I’m gathering these sticks so I can go home and make a final meal for me and my son. After that? We’ll die.”

Her jar was as empty as her future—just a handful of flour, a splash of oil, and the looming certainty that this was the end.

Elijah didn’t flinch. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Go home and do what you said. But first, make a small loaf of bread for me…and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.”

Something stirred in her. Maybe it was desperation. Maybe it was faith, barely hanging on by a thread. Whatever it was, she took Elijah at his word.

She went home, made the bread, and gave Elijah a portion. And then? She went back to that jar and that jug…

And the flour was still there.

The oil hadn’t run out.

Day after day, meal after meal—no matter how much she used, it never emptied.

The widow, her son, and Elijah all had enough to eat. Every. Single. Day.

And just like that, in the middle of a drought, in a foreign land, God showed up. Not with a flood of abundance, but with just enough—day by day—to keep them alive.

A handful of flour. A little oil. And a promise that God wasn’t done writing their story.

A WIDER PERSPECTIVE ON A TIMELESS STORY

For the last couple of months, the Life Group I am in has been reading Misreading Scripture Through Western Eyes. The book does an excellent job of showing how our American perspective can cause us to overlook or misunderstand significant nuances in Scripture.

That got me thinking about this story. I understand the biblical context—that wasn’t what caught my interest. What sparked my curiosity was this: What do our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide focus on in applying this biblical story?

The core truths of this story are taught everywhere. What intrigued me was how different cultures highlight different applications. The circumstances believers face in other countries offer something valuable—something that challenges how we, as American Christians, tend to apply the story of the starving widow.

I spent time researching sermons preached on this passage by Chinese and Russian pastors, using translation apps to help me dig into the heart of their messages. What I found was eye-opening—and I’m convinced it can deepen how we apply this story in our own lives.

And that’s what makes this comparison so rich. It’s not about one culture getting it right while another misses the mark. It’s about broadening our view of God’s work—seeing how different cultural circumstances deepen our own application.

So today, we’re going to dive into what Russian and Chinese pastors tend to highlight when applying this story and stack that up against how American pastors often approach it. And along the way? We’ll see how these global perspectives might just grow us in ways we didn’t expect.

Let’s dig in.

CHINESE AND AMERICAN PASTORS

In America, we talk a lot about generosity—giving with a cheerful heart when there’s plenty to spare. But in China, their focus isn’t just on generosity—it’s on sacrificial giving.

Here’s the difference:

Generosity is giving when it’s reasonable. Sacrificial giving is giving when it’s costly.

In American culture, we tend to link generosity to when there’s enough left over. We tithe after the bills are paid and support missions when the vacation fund is full. But sacrificial giving is a different game. It’s giving before the abundance shows up.

And that’s where this story hits home. The widow of Zarephath wasn’t giving from surplus—she was scraping together her last. Her next meal wasn’t going to come from a stocked pantry. But when Elijah asked her to make bread for him first, she did it. She gave before she saw the miracle.

That’s sacrificial giving.

And here’s the part that should stop us in our tracks: God honored her faith by providing exactly what she needed, day after day. Not an overflow. Not barns full of grain. Just enough. But she never ran out.

Now, let’s be honest. That kind of faith stretches us. It challenges our comfort zones. It asks us:

Are we willing to trust God when it costs us something real?

Would we give when it doesn’t make sense, believing that God sees and sustains us?

Sacrificial giving isn’t about emptying your wallet—it’s about emptying your heart of fear and filling it with trust. It’s saying, “God, I’ll give first and trust You to take care of the rest.”

And that? That’s where miracles happen.

Lin Xiangao, a prominent Chinese pastor who spent 20 years in labor camps for his faith, wrote:

“When we are willing to lose everything for the sake of the Gospel, we find that God never abandons us. Giving in hardship is not a loss—it is an investment in eternity. The more they take away, the more I give. They can take my freedom, but they cannot take my trust in the Lord. And as I give, I see that God always provides, even when I have nothing left.”

From a Chinese Communist Party Prison Labor Camp, he reminds us that giving beyond our means isn’t reckless—it’s trusting that sacrifice for the kingdom is never wasted.

RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN PASTORS

In America, we love talking about trusting God’s promises. We hold on to verses like “My God will supply all your needs” and “All things work together for good.” And we should! Trusting God’s promises is foundational. But in Russia? They take it a step further. Their focus is on obedience amid uncertainty—doing what God says before they see the outcome.

Here’s the difference:

Trust rests in God’s promises. Obedience acts on them before the outcome is clear.

In American culture, we often wait for confirmation before we act. We pray. We analyze. We want to be sure before we step out. We ask God for a sign—or three. But in Russia? They get that faith often means acting first and understanding later.

Look at the widow’s story. Elijah didn’t offer her a guarantee. He didn’t say, “If you give me bread, I promise the jar won’t run out.” Nope. He told her, “Make me bread first, and THEN…” Obedience came before the provision. She had to choose—give what little she had left, or hold on to it and play it safe.

That’s the kind of obedience that stretches faith.

And here’s where it hits us:

Are we willing to obey God when the outcome isn’t clear?

Will we step out in faith when all we have is a word, not a guarantee?

Faith isn’t just about believing God can do something—it’s about acting like He’s already doing it. It’s stepping out on the water before you know if it will hold. It’s trusting that God’s promises are true while you’re still standing in the drought.

And that’s where real faith lives. It lives in the gap between what God says and what we see.

So here’s the challenge: Will we move forward, even when the ending isn’t clear? Because sometimes—the provision only shows up after the obedience.

Alexander Men, Russian Orthodox priest and martyr, wrote:

“To follow Christ is to walk in uncertainty, where answers are not always clear and outcomes are not always immediate. Yet, obedience is not based on knowing the end but on trusting the One who leads.”

Georgi Vins, leader of the underground Baptist movement in Soviet Russia, said:

“Faith that waits for comfort is not faith. Real faith steps forward when the way is unclear, trusting that God’s presence is enough to light the next step.”

Their words capture the heartbeat of Russian faith—a faith that moves before the answers come. It’s not about waiting for clarity or guarantees. It’s about stepping forward in obedience, trusting that God’s plan unfolds after the step, not before.

CLOSING LETTERS

After studying how Chinese and Russian pastors apply this story, I’ve written the closing applications as if they were letters sent directly to us—words from their hearts to ours.

——

A Letter from a Chinese Pastor to American Christians
Dear Brothers and Sisters in America,

Many of our churches operate underground, away from public view. We meet in homes, small groups, and hidden spaces because openly following Jesus can cost us everything.

When resources are scarce—when families are struggling just to put food on the table—our people still give. Not because they have plenty to spare, but because they trust that God is enough. They give when it costs them security, when it threatens their safety, and when there’s no guarantee of more tomorrow.

That’s why we focus so much on sacrificial giving. It’s not about the size of the gift but the size of the trust behind it. We’ve learned that God doesn’t ask us to give when it’s convenient. He asks us to give when it stretches us—when it feels impossible—and then trust that He will provide.

But here’s what I wonder about you.

Do you trust God enough to give when the jar feels empty? Are you willing to loosen your grip on what you have, believing that God’s provision never runs out?

The widow at Zarephath gave before the miracle. She gave before the provision. And God met her there—day after day.

What would happen if you trusted God like that?

Giving when it costs everything,

A Fellow Believer from the Underground Church

——

A Letter from a Russian Pastor to American Christians:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in America,

Our history has been filled with persecution, oppression, and silence. Faith wasn’t always something you could speak about openly. Even today, many Christians face pressure to compromise their beliefs for the sake of safety or convenience. But obedience? Obedience doesn’t wait for safety. It doesn’t wait for clarity.

Our people know that sometimes you move before you see the results. You step out when all you have is a word from God and no guarantee of how things will turn out. That’s why we emphasize obedience amid uncertainty. We’ve seen how God’s provision often shows up after the obedience, not before. It’s not about waiting until the path is clear—it’s about stepping forward when all you can see is the next step.

When Elijah asked the widow to make bread for him first, she had no assurance of what would happen next.

She obeyed before the miracle. And because of that, her jar never ran dry.

But here’s what I wonder about you.

Do you trust God enough to obey when you can’t see the end of the story? Are you willing to take that step, not because the outcome is certain, but because God is trustworthy?

Faith isn’t just about believing God’s promises. It’s about acting on them before they’re fulfilled.

Are you ready to trust Him like that?

Walking by faith in a nation that tried to erase God,
A Pastor in Russia

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