Everyone likes a good miracle. Whether it is a dove appearing from a hat, or a woman who escapes from a locked box, the mystery of what seems impossible pulls us in. We want to blur the lines between the incredulous and reality. 

There is a story about a miracle in the Old Testament. A woman was collecting sticks to make a fire, in order to cook the last meal for her and her son. After they ate it, they would starve. Then Elijah approached her, asking for a drink of water. As she turned to fetch it, he also asked for a piece of bread. She hesitated, saying that all she had was a little flour, and a bit of oil in a jar. But he promised her that the flour would not run out, and the oil would continue to flow if she shared them. 

She trusted him, or rather she trusted God, who the text says had commanded her to feed him. 

There are rules about quantity that restrict us. Only so many dollars in my account can be withdrawn. The gas in my car impacts how far I can drive. There are only a finite number of seats at a theater. 

But there are other supply chains that ignore such limits. The sunshine which is blessing my neighborhood today will warm everyone that steps outside. No one's share is depleted by a crowd. The musicians on stage can entertain everyone who walks through the door. Sound is not divided by the number of ears. Laughter spreads, rather than diminishes when it is shared. 

I have heard mothers worry about the birth of their second child. How could she possibly love this baby as much as the first? I confess that being pregnant with twins, gave me pause. How would I manage to care for both, when each of my single babies absorbed all my energy? But hearts are not tethered by such restrictions, and expand with the number of people we are given to cherish. 

It is interesting that the widow had no qualms about giving Elijah water, even though there was a drought. But expecting her to share her depleted source of bread was harder. Water corresponds to true ideas, whereas bread symbolizes love. Maybe many of us are poised to give someone a piece of our mind, but when it comes to offering compassion, we can be stingy.