Old Teastament: Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-03-071-elijah-and-the-widow-of-zarephath?category=old-testament/joshua-song-of-solomon&&lang=eng&order=chronological

One of the most interesting stories in the Old Testament of the Bible is that of Elijah, the drought, and the widow.  King Ahab, with his idolatry, and the idolatry of the Children of Israel, caused a drought to come upon the people.  Elijah pronounced the drought, and then fled to the Brook Cherith, where he was fed by ravens, and drank freely from the brook, until it dried up.  When it had dried up, the Lord sent Elijah to a poor widow.  Now the question becomes, why would someone with so little means, be requested by the Lord to feed His prophet. 
The Sunday school manual quotes Jeffrey R. Holland in this regard:

• Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said: “I know we can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our fast and freewill offerings. … And we can watch for other ways to help. To worthy causes and needy people, we can give time if we don’t have money, and we can give love when our time runs out. We can share the loaves we have and trust God that the cruse of oil will not fail”  He also said that the widow’s response when Elijah asked her for food was an “expression of faith—as great, under these circumstances, as any I know in the scriptures. … Perhaps uncertain what the cost of her faith would be … , she first took her small loaf to Elijah, obviously trusting that if there were not enough bread left over, at least she and her son would have died in an act of pure charity” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1996). 
  The bottom line, we are all called to help others no matter circumstance in life, and at the same time benefit from the service of others.