SEARCHLIGHT
Will you be true to your faith when facing dire circumstances?
SCRIPTURE
“Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 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.’ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.” 2 Kings 5:1-4 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
Corrie Ten Boom’s life was a tragedy that God turned to triumph. Living in the Netherlands during the second world war, her family hid Jewish people in their home so they would not be seized by the Nazis and thrown into a German concentration camp. When the Nazis discovered this haven, her father, sister, and herself were shipped like cattle to concentration camps where they were treated like animals. Corrie was the only member of her family to live through this atrocity. Her story, which is both in print and motion picture format, describes how the love of God sustained them through this treacherous time, and how they were able to speak the truth of God’s love even to thier predators. After the war, Corrie traveled the world testifying as to how Jesus took her through this terrible suffering and changed her hateful heart into God’s loving heart.
Corrie’s story is a reminder of a Bible story that is found in 2 Kings 5, which describes a heathen army commander named Naaman, who desperately wanted to be healed of leprosy. Before the miraculous healing, there was a tragedy of epic proportions. 2 Kings 5:1-4, reveals a very dark time in the life of a young Jewish servant girl. Her life illustrates many lessons which Jesus taught about the blessing of being persecuted, turning the other cheek, forgiveness, and loving your enemy.
From the Scripture passage above, we learn 3 things about the young Jewish servant girl’s life:
- She was greatly tried and tested. Ruthless robbers stole this child from her family and friends and took her on a trek against her will. How she may have been treated is nothing less than despicable. Ripped from her roots, her troubles were nothing less than terrifying. It is likely she lost her innocence and as a captive, she was trained to serve Naaman’s wife. Facing trials as an adult is challenging. Facing trials as a child is nothing less than horrific.
- She treasured God. Abducted from home, she refused to trade her faith for any convenience or benefit her new environment offered. She was true to what she knew to be the Greatest Commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” [Deuteronomy 6:5.] As tricky as her new culture was in trying to conform her ways, she refused to compromise her faith, as seen by her testimony to Naaman’s wife. The young Jewish servant girl trusted God. Proverbs 3:5,6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path.” Her parents had raised her to personally know the living God. Her prophet had taught her to experience the power of the living God. With all of her heart, she believed her treasure was not worth trading.
- She shared truth in midst of tragedy. The servant girl just did not believe the truth, rather spoke the truth. In spite of her tragic ordeal, the girl is responsible for Naaman’s healing. There were other options she could have pursued. She could have let the commander rot to death with his leprosy. Trying to make a deal was a real possibility. She could have said, “I will tell you how to get healed if you let me go home.” Perhaps fear could have caused her to withhold the truth. However, she treated him as an enemy to be loved. Rather than being a troublemaker, she chose to be a troubleshooter. Truthful to her core, she boldly proclaimed to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” [vs 3.]
The presence and power of God rested on this child. Her testimony was true-hearted. Truth triumphed over her tragedy. Later you read how God not only healed Naaman, but Naaman became a believer. SPEAK THE TRUTH IN TRAGEDY. Trust God in the most trying times as you speak the truth about Jesus!
SOMETHING TO DO
- Would you be true to your faith if you were faced similar circumstances?
- Do our children today know God in the same personal way as this young girl?
- For all pastors, Bible study teachers, and church leaders; would the people you lead say the same thing about you that servant girl said about her prophet?
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I want to personally know You the way this young Jewish servant girl did. Make my faith in You become so strong that I, too, would SPEAK THE TRUTH IN TRAGEDY. AMEN!!!