Monday: An Unlikely Witness
Read 2 Kings 5:1-7. What is going on here? Why would the Syrians even have listened to what a captive slave girl had to say? What might be the hidden implications of what transpired?
The Bible gives us no real details of how this young girl acted in the home, but it’s clear that there was something about her that caught the family’s attention. Think about it: on the word of a captive female child in his household, a wealthy and powerful military leader goes to his king, tells him what she said, and then gets permission from the king to go.
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Even more so, he loads up on gifts to bring to the prophet. Obviously, more was going on than what is explicitly stated in the texts. Nevertheless, God’s agent to plant the knowledge of Him in the ruling circles of Syria was an unnamed little Hebrew slave girl, cruelly snatched from her home by a Syrian raiding party. Instead of dwelling on the cruelty and meaninglessness of that act, and of her life of servitude, she shared her unshaken faith in the life-changing power of God, who was working through Elisha in Samaria (vs. 3). Thus, like Daniel and his companions in Babylon, she was able to turn her own adversity into a way to glorify God, and thus, God turned her captivity into an opportunity to share her faith. According to Ellen G. White, The conduct of the captive maid, the way that she bore herself in that heathen home, is a strong witness to the power of early home training.
–Prophets and Kings, p. 245.
What should this tell us about how our faith, lifestyle, and actions can draw others to us and to the truths that we have been entrusted with?
What’s fascinating, too, in this story is the reaction of the king of Israel upon getting the letter. Am I God? Can I heal leprosy? His words reveal just how dreaded the disease was and why only a miracle could bring about a cure. For whatever reason, the letter implied the expectation that the king was to bring the cure. He knew that he couldn’t do that, and so he thought it was all a trick to instigate trouble.
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Hello Friends, the testimony of our scriptures clearly testifies of God's blessing when we faithfully serve to make known our Saviour.
The reaction of the king versus the young slave girl shows 2 type of saints in the church today;
1). The one who is a player in the Great Controversy like the young slave girl who has a pure heart who knows her calling as a witness to reflect the pure heart of God who forgives and forgets those who sin against Him versus the saints who are
2). Secondly, the reactions of the king versus the young slave girl reflects the status of faith of each one's faith when faced with problems. The slave/saint who knows how to respond to objections to her God given call but to rely on God to resolve the objects to her favor for resolving problems so that they would acknowledge the Creator God who can heal any person's ill versus the king/saints who do not realize that when God calls he equips and will stand to favor to resolve issues pertaining to your witness.
3). The king/saint will always see the challenges faced in his daily lives and view it negatively as the work of the Devil to trap him/her be ridiculed, disappointed and fail in this challenge to resolve's a person's dilemma or problem, versus the young slave girl or saint who knows her/his purpose in life and call to ministry despite their precarious life's ills.
The king of Israel seemed to have been caught off guard by the international prayer request (2 Kings 5:6, 7). His first and probably only reaction was concern about his own business and well-being (Mark 8:33). Apparently his mind was not on the omnipotent God of Israel who could overrule Syria (2 Kings 5:1).
By contrast the captive young girl did not just mind her own business. She was on the lookout to help others and as opportunity arose she volunteered (2 Kings 5:3). Her concern was not rights or obtaining a higher sphere in the household. Living a godly life that made her testimony credible, and clearly not bitter with her captors/masters she was a witness on call.
Christ commissioned His followers to be deliberate witnesses, to act in intentional ways to share the Gospel (Mark 16:15). Sometimes this means planned projects. Beyond this the faithful keep their minds on Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven (Colossians 3:1-3). They lookout for opportunities to share Christ and meet these with timely words of life (Luke 12:42, 43).
How many opportunities have we let slip? By their desire and determination to be instruments of the Savior Christians are placed on constant call. When not engaged in planned activity they are witnesses on call. The people of faith are likely witnesses when they think often about their Father’s business (Luke 2:49).
The little slave girl is an example of what God can do with little. Little is much when God is in it. We should never think that we are too small or insignificant or unintelligent to be used by God. We just need to be obedient and share the knowledge we have. God will transform our feeble words to reach and inspire kings for His glory.
Thank you Yvonne, I often have a fear of witnessing or sharing the love of our Savior. I don't have the skill of good communication I get so nervous when called to speak that I have difficulty maintaining a clear thought. It's comforting to know that little is much when God is in it. I will remember this and have faith that the Lord can use me if I am willing.
The Behaviour of Major Naaman also shows that there many out there yearning to hear the good news . Words that will bring solution to their problem, words that will bring hope to their hopeless situation . Therefore we are channels God is waiting to use Amen .
As a christian, God wants us to know that he can use anybody to share the good news. And also no matter who you are, you can be useful for God, even though the world look down on you.
What this illustrates in my mind is a love implanted first in God that is so powerful that it allows you even in the midst of personal adversity to still love everyone even those that are responsible for your present predicament that might not be favorable! It also illustrates faith that is unwavering even if God allows you to lose your freedom your familiar surroundings your comforts you still not only believe in Him and serve Him but you are a witness to others of His love even when others looking at your circumstance would question Gods love for you
This was a mysterious hand of God. The young slave girl was able to open her mouth on a strange land to testify of a prophet of God who could help her master's servant Naaman. Had she kept mute/quiet, this great miracle in the history of the Syrians wouldn't have been wrought. A leprous cleansed. How many oppressed souls have we bypassed in silence? There are many close to us who are hungry for sympathy and for the present truth. Just a word or sentence could do much in the process of soul winning. The little maid directed Naaman to the prophet Elisha and Elisha, to God. How many souls have we directed to Jesus by our words and actions?
There are three qualities that stand out to me about the slave girl:
1) She has come to love her captors and freely offers them a solution to their hurt and need.
2) She has great faith that God can overcome the disease.
3) She has inspired trust and her captors fully believe her words.
What a beautiful picture of Christs words to love our enemies.
True witnessing is not a separate activity we fit into our schedule when we can, instead it must be daily living. Being a witness must be what we are, not merely what we do when feeling we should. We can only witness when we ourselves have an experience that will give hope to others.
Why listen to the slave? Only by being an example that encouraged confidence, and probably the greatest reason, the offer of hope in the face of a hopeless need. The world today is filled with need, but finds few offers of true hope.
No faith, no confidence, and thus the king felt helpless, even afflicted by this entreaty for help. Each follower of Christ needs to be equipped for service while alert for every opportunity. Servants of God will serve. It's their reason for being. Led by the Spirit, no opportunity will be lost.
Notice that only servants are sealed, while serving "day and night"? (Rev 7:3,15)
The little slave girl story reminds parents to groom their children in a God fearing way. Whatever a child learns, she or he will not forget, children can be missionaries too
Regardless of status of somebody, God can use you as a missionary to people like the little girl.
She was doing a low grade job that was underated by many but since she was God fearing lady, and through the power of God a potential stored in her became to be known Naaman, the king and even the entire empire, hence the title 'unlikely witness' because they didn't expect it from her.
To God be the glory for healing a heathen -Naaman!
This lesson has me thinking about the many times after we have had evangelistic series,it is the pastors or evangelists that are celebrated as centurions and the accolades are given to them and the "little maids" who have influenced the change in many of these persons who have given their lives to The Lord are forgotten.
Forgotten? By whom? Surely not forgotten by the One who sees each sparrow that falls.
A little girl in captivity, far away from family, in a strange land and being made to serve her captor's wife. Many of us would probably be happy that the captor had a debilitating disease - but not this Unlikely witness!
Read 2 Kings 5:1-7. What is going on here? Why would the Syrians even have listened to what a captive slave girl had to say? What might be the hidden implications of what transpired?
The way in which this young lady carried herself, the way she communicated with others helped them come to a conclusion of whether she was honest and trustworthy and worth listening to. I am inclined to believe that this young lady did not allow her slave status to diminish her capacity to love and care for others. She did not lament or disrespect the family she served and that may have placed her in good standing with the masters. She may have spoken often of the prophets and about God and His mighty healing power. I can also surmise that the king of Syria wrote to the king of Samaria as he must have believed that ONLY someone from the Royal household would be able to help Naaman and not a ‘God’ worshipper. People are anchored in their belief and have their own cliques and will be adamant that only their cliques, their royal groups have the right worship, the most inspired connection with the Creator or the ability to live a holy life. God wants us to live the life so that others may see Him through us. If what we do is not reflective of God and His love, if what we do promotes our friends and family and demotes others, our words may be viewed as hypocritical. We must remember the young lady was a captive slave, waiting on the wife of the man with leprosy. This young lady could have simply ignored the fact that the prophet would be able to heal her captor - she was a captive, why should she want to help Naaman? I think that she spoke up because she, like Christ, turned the other cheek and was willing to help those who ‘moved her out of her comfort zone.’ She could have become bitter and resentful because she was a captive; instead she did all she could to demonstrate Christ through the life she lived. That is possibly why a powerful man like Naaman would listen to her, and because his wife may never have had any reason to believe that the child was fickle, deceitful, selfish, conceited or disrespectful.
What should this tell us about how our faith, lifestyle, and actions can draw others to us and to the truths that we have been entrusted with?
We must always strive to live a lifestyle that would be pleasing to Christ even in the worst of circumstances. As I reflected on this question, I have realised that I have made many missteps in this area. When folks did me wrong, I became resentful and even if I was not vocal, my countenance was not always pleasant. I pray that I am able to always let the love of God, His grace and mercy, remain the main focus of my life so that others may see Jesus and be drawn to Him.
Thanks Robert and that is what matters
In whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we should show the world that we have God behind our lives. Lives lived in accordance to the will of God exerts influence to those in the surrounding