“Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
2 Kings 5:2-3 (NAB)
A young girl was taken captive by a band of raiders and removed from her homeland. Her family and her way of life, was just a memory, as she became a servant to the wife of Namaan, a high ranking, Syrian military leader. Her life was changed forever, but the faith of her family and her heritage remained deep within her. The Bible doesn’t tell us the girl’s name, but what she did, is never forgotten.
She was raised in the faith of the one true God, and was taught of all the miracles He did for her people, the Israelites. Like any other hostage, she missed her family, her freedom and her homeland, but even in the calamity of war, she found a purpose in her current state of being as a captive.
Instead of being depressed over her captivity in a strange land, she found compassion in her heart for the new people God sent into her life. She felt compelled to share her faith with her mistress, talking about the wonders God did for her people, and often spoke of the great prophet in her land, named Elisha.
Her mistress listened to her and one day, when Naaman contracted the dreaded disease of leprosy, she told her husband about the miracle working God of the Israelites, and their prophet, Elisha. Since there was no cure for his contagious disease, Naaman, listened to the servant girl’s words. He immediately asked his king to contact the king of Israel and arrange for him to have a meeting with a prophet named Elisha.
He arrived at the home of Elisha with a pretentious entourage of servants, horses and chariots. Elisha calmly walked up to Naaman, and gave him the most unusual instructions. He told him to go plunge seven times in the Jordan river.
A man of power, pride, and prestige, like Naaman, doesn’t take well to the advice of “Go jump in the river seven times.” He probably thought it was a joke, or an act of vengeance or some payback for conquering their people.
Naaman was about to walk away angry and give up, but there was a Hebrew male servant with him, who humbly urged Naaman to do exactly what Elisha told him. The people of Israel knew the power of their God and how mightily He works through His prophets. Even in their own captivity, these servants did not hold back from speaking up about the greatness of their God.
The servants were the true heroes of this story. They were hostages, living in the adversity of being taken from their families, living far from their homeland. It started with the young girl as a messenger and then the servant who persuaded Naaman to have faith and go to the Jordan river.
At first, Naaman resisted the strange instructions of Elisha. He expected the prophet to simply say the word or lay hands on him and heal him. Naaman was humbled by doing what the prophet told him and after the seventh time of immersing himself in the river, he experienced a miracle, as God healed him of leprosy, and he became a believer.
Everything about our life may not be 100% of what we want it to be, but God has a purpose for us to fulfill, right where we are today. We may be perplexed by the unexpected things that happen, but even in the midst of our calamity, God is fulfilling His divine purpose in each person’s life.
We may be the one bringing God’s message, or we may be the one receiving His message through another, but God is still in charge, and He still works His miracles in surprising ways, but it all starts right where we are, instead of where we wish to be. Sharing a simple message of hope and faith, can lead to someone’s miracle of healing, deliverance and salvation.
Lord, help us to embrace our faith in whatever place we are at, even if the conditions are not ideal. Give us compassion for all those you send into our lives, and a desire to share our hope and faith in you. Amen