2 Kings Chapter 2: Verses 16-18 (NIV Translation)
Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”
“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”
But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
Elisha had been a good and faithful assistant to Elijah, and now he had newly taken up the baton. But stepping into the lead role was new to him, so perhaps its understandable that he felt under pressure from the fifty other prophets into letting them look for Elijah when he knew it was pointless. They were certainly persistent hence his embarrassment. But when they returned it was obvious Elisha had been right.
Sometimes our inexperience lets us be talked into a course of action that we would not have chosen ourselves. Even if the pressure is well-meaning, as in the case of Elisha and the prophets, we need to learn to stick to the action that we ourselves know to be right. This is an important lesson for every area of our life, but particularly with regard to any calling from the Lord.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for this lesson from Elisha’s life. I’m grateful that the Bible shows us that the heroes of the faith were just as human as us. Help me to stand my ground when I need to, and not yield to pressure, however well intended, if it deviates from Your will. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.