“So he [Elijah] departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.”~ 1 Kgs. 19:19
It is both interesting and enlightening to contrast the ministries of Elijah and Elisha. Their service for the Lord was entirely different. The former was public, direct, and fiery; while Elisha’s was, for the most part, private, indirect, and commonplace. Young’s Concordance says, “Elijah was the grandest and most romantic character Israel ever produced. Elijah is quoted some thirty times in the New Testament; his prodigy, not once. Elijah was always the center of attraction. Elisha was more or less a wall-flower. Elijah was constantly seen; but Elisha, only occasionally.”
Elisha’s life was much like most of ours. It was a behind-closed-door ministry. The mass was not aware of him, but the individuals he helped knew him. And, more importantly, so did God. Elijah, by today’s standards, would be considered the greater of the two, in spite of the fact that Elisha did twice the miracles as his master. True humility and a willingness to accept one’s place in life can result in phenomenal results. Elisha was never ashamed of being referred to as the servant who poured water on Elijah’s hands, like someone else who did not hesitate to take the place of servant and wash the feet of others.
Though Elisha has always been overshadowed by Elijah, he was no less a great saint of God. If you wanted to know the true worth of Elisha, you’d have to ask those who drank of the waters he healed, or the widow whose children were saved from slavery, or Naaman, who was healed of his leprosy, or the man whose borrowed axe-head Elisha found, or the one who was raised to life again simply by touching Elisha. Each of these would tell you who Elisha was.
And if you want to know about those today who are behind the scene and rarely come out of the shadows, ask those whom they have helped. Elijah’s ministry was basically one of repentance; Elisha’s was one of giving life to things and people. It was, you might say, a ministry of resurrection.
Never let it cause you any concern that you are a, “Shadow Saint.”
by an Aged Saint
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Beautiful Brother Sandlin!