A Child Model

The story of this little child is narrated in 2 Kings 5:1-19. Sadly her name is not recorded. She was raised in a family in Israel in a Godly manner. In the same time in history there was Naaman, a com­mander of the army of the king living in Syria. The Lord had given him victory for an implicit reason (v.1). It was not Naaman, but God who brought this little girl as a captive and maid into the house of Naaman for a divine purpose. She was forcibly brought to live among a people of a different faith. Just like Sarah who was brought before Pharaoh, Esther who was brought into the palace of the Persian king, this little girl was brought to the house of this influential man, Naaman. As a maid, her choices would have been curtailed to the core. She probably lived in a dark room, yet lit light in the house of her master. She was an object, a spoil of war, yet became a powerful personality. She was stolen and taken across the borders, yet God used her across the borders. She would have shed lots of tears in private, but her story got recorded in the pages of the Holy Bible. Here are some powerful pointers for us to ponder from her life.

She Models Forgiveness:

In this world where wars rip apart human lives, where ego clashes and bitterness tear relationships, the life of this little maid stands tall as a model of forgiveness. How could she ever forgive a family who has separated her, from her loving parents and her own place of living? It was possible only because of her knowledge about Yahweh, a forgiv­ing God. His power in her life helped her to forgive her captors. We see a reversal story in the letter of Paul to Philemon, where Philemon, a master forgave Onesimus, his slave. Love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Cor 13:5). An epitome of forgiveness is seen in Jesus, who said, “Father forgive them. For they do not know what they are doing.” He forgives our sins even today. Bitterness prohibits blessings. Forgiveness releases blessings. Let us be gripped by the power of our forgiving God who only can help us to forgive serious offenders in our lives. Only then we can pray the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” (Matthew 6:12, NLT)

She Models Strategic Mission:

Her master through he was great and rich was seriously suf­fering from leprosy. Her compassion in a crisis situation enabled her to react constructively. The Syrian God, Rimmon who was the god of thunder was an angry, frightening God. She therefore introduced to her master about her God who could heal, save and forgive. She had heard of Jehovah’s power through the life and ministry of Prophet Eli­sha in her land in Israel. Though she was a refugee, she was a missionary. God’s plan has always been to glorify His name through displaced people in the history of the world. There were other godly captives in the history of the Bible like Joseph, Esther, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed Nego, Ezra and Nehemiah. They sang the song of the Lord in strange lands (Psalm 137). The little girl’s life spoke. Her words were respected. Her captor’s family obliged to her suggestion to go and meet prophet Elisha. Praise God. Naaman came healed both in his soul and his body. His powerful testimony echoed through the lands of the then world: “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel!” (2 kings 5:15)

She Models a Godly Family:

We do not know when life’s situation might separate parents and children. The little girl was forcibly taken away from her parents when she was young. But her Godly parents had trained her in the ways of Yahweh before that. We have to inculcate Godly values in children before they fly off from our nest. John Wesley said, “I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England.” And it is equally important to reach out to all children in our influence, in our wider family out in the world. Ministry to children yields multiple dividends. D L Moody said, “If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!” Let us therefore join with the Psalmist in saying: we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. (Psalm 78:4). Eternity would reveal the parents of this little girl how many lives she has influenced beginning with the influential Naaman. But it all started in nurturing of a young life in a Godly home.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) -Jesus