In our Weakness, He is Strong!

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    A favorite Bible story of mine, as a child, was the story of Naaman. This short story is found in 2 Kings chapter 5.  I was pointed to meditate on Naaman's wife's servant girl this past week in a book. This little girl is memorialized in the Bible for speaking one sentence. What an impact that one, small act of faith made on all of History!

    This girl is "young" from the description we are given in 2 Kings 5:2. She was taken captive by "bands of raiders from Aram" and ended up as a servant girl to Naaman's wife. Naaman was the commander of the army for the king of Aram. I cannot imagine the fear and trauma that this girl endured as she was ripped from her home by strangers. Who knows what all she was subjected to during that event? All we know is that she had faith that Elisha could heal Naaman. Despite the fact that Naaman was her captor, she had compassion and desired to help him. She speaks up and says, "I wish my master would go see the prophet in Samaria. I know he would cure him!" (vs 3) Like Esther, she was brought there "for such a time as this." 

This girl may or may not have considered the consequences of daring to say such a thing. What if God had not used Elisha to heal Naaman? Naaman would have been humiliated for going on such a wild-goose chase at the direction of slave! The girl may have been tortured and/or killed. All we know is that she had faith and spoke up with boldness and compassion. 

    We see that the gospel was being lived out in her life.  She apparently lived in a state of freedom from bitterness and fear. Naaman also shows us the gospel story as he rises from the water freed of even the scars of the terrible disease of leprosy. He boldly proclaims his newfound faith, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel." This simple servant child pointed Naaman to Elisha, who is an Old Testament type of Jesus.  All she did was point to the One who had power to save! Such a simple and powerful act of faith. God took care of the rest. 

    This young girl loved her enemies. She had respect for those in authority. She was living out the beauty of the gospel in a heathen land! Her words were those of obedience and truth and she had the courage to speak them. 

    I was so challenged by this young girl and the ones who had poured truth into her life from birth. She had been exposed to stories about Elisha, at the very least. It is very likely she knew the God of Israel as well. God used her from her place of weakness and lowliness to impact nations! 

I am praying for that kind of bold faith.


Heather Sparks


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