Have you ever wondered about the people who make a brief “cameo appearance” in the Bible? Sometimes we don’t even know their name, but something they did or said was important enough for God to include it in His word. One such person was a young Hebrew girl who was captured by raiders from Aram and given to the wife of their commanding officer as a servant far from her family and home. She Is mentioned in the fifth chapter of 2 Kings and her brief suggestion is quoted there.
That chapter is the familiar story of Naaman, the commander of the Aram army who was healed by God of leprosy through the prophet Elisha. None of that would have happened if that young Hebrew servant girl had not told Naaman’s wife, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” The fact that she cared about his illness tells me that she had a Godly heart and that she was probably treated well in that home. The fact that Naaman and his wife listened to her suggestion and he acted on it tells me she must have impressed them with Godly service.
There are several lessons to be learned in that chapter of scripture. There is the despair the king of Israel experienced because he did not immediately turn to God and His prophet. There is the fact that Naaman almost let anger and arrogance keep him from God’s blessing. There is the severe price Elisha’s servant paid for his greed and lies. But I think the most important lesson is found in the way that young girl made the best of a very bad situation with God’s help.
Some experts tell us that we are a product of our environment, but it is actually our reaction to our environment that determines our thoughts, actions and who we are. Have you ever noticed that one person will give in to the pressures of a poor environment and allow it to destroy them, while another will gain strength from resisting those same pressures and overcome their situation? Those of us who have a personal relationship with God have an advantage in that regard. Like that young servant girl, we know our strength comes from God and we find our calling to lead others to that source of healing and strength in spite of our personal situation. Her focus was on serving others and she shared her God with them in spite of her unpleasant circumstance. We can, and should, do the same.