The Faith of a Young Girl

             This morning in my quiet time, I reread the story of Naaman, one of my favorite Bible stories from childhood. Naaman was a commander in the army of Aram, and he had leprosy. He was healed after he finally agreed to obey the instructions of the prophet, Elisha, and washed seven times in the Jordan River.  That’s the story in a nutshell, but as I read this morning, I saw something I hadn’t noticed before.  As we dive deeper and deeper into the Word, the Holy Spirit has a way of enlightening us to things that we might not otherwise see.  That’s what happened this morning. 

            I had never stopped to consider how Naaman heard about the prophet who could heal him, even though that is a crucial part of the story.  Israel and Aram were supposedly at peace, but that didn’t stop guerrilla bands from attacking people in Israel.  During one of those skirmishes, the guerrillas captured a young Israeli girl, who eventually became a servant of Naaman’s wife.  She is the one who told Naaman about Elisha.

            Think about it.  She was a young girl, forcibly taken from her home.  She had been taken to a foreign land and made a slave.  Most of us would be scared to open our mouths in that situation, but not her.  Despite her circumstances, she still had faith in the God of Israel, and she wasn’t afraid to share the knowledge of His healing power—even with her captors. 

Did she stop to consider that maybe God didn’t want to heal Naaman?  What if the “prophet” that she sent Naaman to had died?  What if Naaman thought she was trying to trick him into some kind of ambush?  Did she think about any of those things? We don’t know for sure, but the Scripture does indicate her sincere concern for Naaman, despite her circumstances.  “She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (II Kings 5: 3 NIV84).

Oh, to have that kind of faith in God!  To trust Him completely, despite my circumstances, requires the full measure of faith that this young lady had.  Finally, to show the compassion of Christ to those who would do us harm can only be accomplished through the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

The story of Naaman is a great reminder of what simple things God requires of us, but I think it is also a reminder of what it means to trust God and love as He did in all circumstances. 

                                                                II Kings 5: 1 - 27

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