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The Nameless Maid “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria. For he would heal him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:3) In 2 Kings 5, we are introduced to a character simply referred to as “a young girl from the land of Israel.” But God would use this nameless girl to bring deliverance to a household and perhaps to many others. The Bible tells us that on one of the occasions Syria raided Israel, a young girl was taken captive and was brought to the house of Naaman, the Commander of the Army of the King of Syria, to serve as a maid to Naaman’s wife. It is important to remember that this was a Jewish girl who had been brought up in the Jewish tradition to honour the Name of the one true God and now she finds herself in a foreign land and in the midst of people who do not know her God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the eyes of the world, this girl was doomed, she was finished and all odds were against her. In fact, she could have thrown up her hands in despair and even forsaken her God. After all, had He not forsaken her and allowed these wicked people to take her captive. But she did not see things that way. You see, this girl knew in whom she believed. She trusted in the faithfulness of her God. She knew that just as He had delivered her forefathers from the hands of the Egyptians, He was able to deliver her. She recognized that God had a plan and a purpose for having her in Naaman’s house. Friend, God will sometimes send us to places we would rather not be or take us through situations we would have rather done without. But He always has a plan and a purpose and the quicker we align ourselves with His plan rather than fight against it, the better it is for us because ultimately His plan is for our good. Most likely this young girl got to know of her master’s condition through her mistress. I put it to you that there was something about this girl that caused Naaman’s wife to confide in her. Brethren, a reputation is not built in one day. This girl had a track record. Naaman’s wife had noticed that of all the maids, this one was hardworking, reliable, discrete and gentle of spirit. Friend, there is something about a child of God that attracts people. A child of God cannot go unnoticed; he or she must exhibit the characteristics of the Master. Hallelujah. How do others see us? Are we true representatives, good ambassadors of our Father or do we misrepresent Him. Certainly she had a compassionate heart which is not surprising because she loved God. She recognized the implications of this horrible disease, leprosy, and knew how much grief and pain it caused both Naaman and his wife. She could have easily kept the information about the Prophet Elisha to herself. After all, she was only a slave in their household. But when you love God, you will have a love for people and a compassion for the hurting and the less fortunate. That is a characteristic of our Lord. It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His tender compassions fail not. They are new every morning great and abundant is your stability and faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22). There is a boldness that comes from knowing who God is. This girl knew her God. She had heard of His mighty deeds and may have even witnessed some of the things He did through His servant, the Prophet Elisha. She had no doubt that He was able to heal Naaman. So she did not hesitate in sharing this information with her mistress. She did not even consider the possibility that Naaman may not be healed. This was a demonstration of the faith and confidence she had in God. How many of us are bold in sharing about the goodness and faithfulness of our God with our unsaved loved ones, colleagues or co-workers? Do we only talk about Him when we are with other Believers or do we talk about Him at every opportunity no matter the company we are in? May we never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). This story of this young girl teaches us many lessons. First, our God can use anybody, anywhere and at anytime. No one is too young or too insignificant to be used. No matter where we are, He is able to use us there. He simply desires that we be available to be used. He wants us to be true witnesses for Him wherever we may be and this is exactly what this young girl was. God desires to use us as a catalyst. He can use one little individual to start a big revival. No doubt after this healing experience Naaman’s life was not the same. He must have been curious to know more about this God who is able to heal and no doubt he did not keep the knowledge to himself. One little girl’s boast in her God set off a chain reaction and God was glorified. May we too allow God to use us as a catalyst so that His glory may be seen among a people who do not know Him. Amen CLICK HERE FOR OTHER BIBLE CHARACTERS
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