Well aware of her influence over her community, she decided to demonstrate how to treat the prophet of God when he comes your way. This is why she habitually made provisions for Elisha when he visited her town, and she ultimately decided to build an extension on her home that Elisha would have a place to lay his head when he came to visit. But I'll add as another indicator of the wisdom she possessed that even though she was on the forefront of her community, she understood that because she was married, she was not the head of her household. In 2 Kings 4:10, you see she did not build this extension until she first had her husband's agreement.
In being a blessing to Elisha, this barren community matriarch had no hidden agenda. Being an example to her community was her only motivation. But in a world in which seedtime-and-harvest governs all, the blessing was certain to come to her because of the honor she had shown to Elisha. Elisha prophecied the birth of a son as a harvest on her seed sown, and in the proper course of time, she bore a son as Elisha had spoken.
But the rewards of this servant's heart did not end there. In years to follow, a famine in the land would force this Shunamite and her family from their home. She and her family suffered great loss during this time. But when she would consider to return, Gehazi, Elisha's servant spoke to the king, believed Joram at this time, on her behalf. The king ordered that all she had lost be restored to her to include income that would have come into her home during her seven-year hiatus with the Philistines.
The reward on this woman's acts of servanthood resulted in perpetual blessing for years to come. For yourself, emulate the servanthood that this Shunamite displayed and reap as she did years of God's perpetual favor.
