Little Servant Girl with a Mighty Blessing

II Kings 5:2-3
And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

Naaman was the Syrian army commander who was great in the eyes of the Syrian King and the Syrians in general. This was because Lord gave deliverance to Syria through Naaman and he was a man of great valor. But he was suffering from leprosy, a chronic disease that affects skin and many parts of the body. Syrians had taken many Israelites as captives and among them was a little slave girl from Israel who was the handmaid for Naaman’s wife.

This little servant girl had attributed the victory of Syrian army and especially her master’s valor to the Lord God she knew and believed. She also knew that in her own land there was a prophet Elisha who could cure her master’s leprosy. She bravely approached her master’s wife and mentioned what she believed in her heart. A little slave girl as she was, she needed a lot of courage to speak up and convey what she knew and believed. She was taking a lot of risk because she could have been rebuked or even be punished for speaking such a thing. But she did not hesitate to pass on the little she believed. Although the girl was little and her part in her master’s house was very little, she had a lot of faith and courage to speak the little she believed. But, this was a big thing for her master. Naaman must have tried all the doctors and physicians in his land to attain the healing that he so desired. Now here this little girl was speaking something so simple when he had tried all the complicated treatments. Can his master’s wife trust this little girl and act upon her little advice? Yes, she did and passed on the information to her husband.

When word reached Naaman of this little girl’s recommendation, he acts upon it. A great man like Naaman was so deperate about his healing that he was ready to do whatever was suggested. Now he approached the King of Syria and we see in II Kings 5:5, “And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.” Syrian King was so concerned about Naaman’s health and welfare for Naaman was a very goodly man with a great reputation, that he sent a letter to the King of Israel. Syrian King trusted that the King of Israel would help heal Naaman or at the least he hoped that the King knew what this little girl meant. Naaman did not go with an empty hand but he carried many expensive presents for the man who was to cure him.

King of Israel’s reaction is a wonder because he attributed to himself what was conveyed in the letter. This king thought he was the person that the King of Syria hoped to heal Naaman. II Kings 5:7 says, “And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.” Little did the King of Israel realize that the Syrian King and the commander were looking for some one greater than him in spiritual matters; some one who had the power of God; some one who was God’s chosen in bringing hope to the common man in Israel. The haughty King of Israel did not know or take note of this wonderful man in his own land. Elisha was best known to the less advantaged who sought God with a meek heart. This was how the little girl heard of Elisha, the man of God.

Elisha’s words to the King of Israel were, “Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” The King sent Naaman to Elisha. Naaman approached the doorstep of this great prophet with horses and his chariot. Here Naaman was exhibiting his power as a Syrian army commander and hoped that Elisha would come out, greet him, receive him and then bring the healing to him. Instead Elisha sent his messenger with the words of healing. “And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”

Naaman was filled with anger and went away. Naaman’s ego was hurt and now he refused even to be healed. When a person is self-centered, he ignores the wise advice and acts foolishly. Naaman expected what is said in II Kings 5:11: “He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” He had a grand plan for his simple healing. II Kings 5:12 says, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.” In his rage, he was comparing the river Jordan to the rivers in Syria. We see that Naaman’s servants were much wiser than himself. The servants spoke the words of wisdom into their master’s ears. This time again God was using humble people to admonish the king. The words of Naaman’s servants are mentioned in II Kings 5:13. “And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?”

Naaman finally paid heed to his servants’ words. II Kings 5:14 says, “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” Oh! How jubilant was this great man Naaman to see his flesh as that of a little child! Some times in our lives it just takes this whole course of actions before we repent and accept the simple gift of salvation. Simple belief is all that takes to be saved. If we are filled with ego or plans of our own these come in the way of Lord’s saving grace. Just cast all your ego and plans at His feet and accept His simple gift of salvation. His will and plan for our lives are the best! Trade your will and plans for His and you will be mightily blessed.

Tomorrow: Lydia, a True Believer of the Lord