MAID OF NAAMAN'S WIFE

2 KINGS 5:1

A. "AND THE SYRIANS HAD GONE OUT BY COMPANIES, AND HAD BROUGHT AWAY CAPTIVE OUT OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL A LITTLE MAID; AND SHE WAITED ON NAAMAN'S WIFE. AND SHE SAID UNTO HER MISTRESS, WOULD TO GOD MY LORD WERE WITH THE PROPHET THAT IS IN SAMARIA, FOR HE WOULD RECOVER HIM OF HIS LEPROSY"
  1. We find in the Bible some of the most wonderful stories told in a few words:
    1. The story of a little maid from Israel dramatizes this fact in nineteen verses of the Bible
    2. The nameless little slave from Israel dramatizes the power of personal witnessing
  2. This wonderful story has always held my special attention:
    1. It reveals God's mysterious ways to bring light into dark places
    2. I sincerely believe that the story was written to encourage us to share our faith with others no matter what the circumstances may be
B. FROM WHAT IS RECORDED OF THE CAPTIVE MAID WE GATHER THAT
  1. She was a believer:
    1. The home from which she was forcefully taken was a godly home; one which honored the God of Israel; we salute that home which forms the background to the faith of the little maid - Prov. 22:6
    2. She carried this faith with her into captivity as did Daniel and his friends Dan. 1:8; 6:10,20; 3:17-19
  2. She was a herald, an effective witness to the saving grace of God:
    1. "Would to God my lord were with the prophet in Samaria, for he would recover him of his leprosy"
    2. It did not take long until her message reached the ears of the king of Asyria, and it was not long until Naaman was on his way to see the prophet
  3. The witness of the little maid was most effective:
    1. Naaman was healed
    2. He became a convert to the faith of the prophet and the little maid - 2 Kings 5:15-19
C. WHAT A CHALLENGING LESSON FOR GOD'S PEOPLE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS
  1. It dramatizes home training:
    1. It shows the great responsibility of parents in bringing up their children
    2. It is said, truthfully, "She that rocks the cradle, rules the world"; Examples: Moses - Heb. 11:24-26; Ex. 2; Joseph - Gen. 39:9-17; King Asa - I Kings 15:11; Timothy - 2 Tim. 1:5
  2. The ready acceptance by the king of her suggestion indicates further - 2 Kings 5:4-6:
    1. That the little maid practiced her faith - Matt. 5:13-15; James 1:22-23
    2. Her loyalty to her faith was demonstrated in her daily life; that is what makes our witnessing effective - I Peter 2:9-11
    3. Her word was her bond - if that had not been so the King of Syria would not have attached his royal honor to her suggestion
  3. Such witnessing will surely bear fruit:
    1. Naaman was healed 2 Kings 5:14
    2. He abandoned idol worship, became a faithful believer in the faith of the little maid - that we to the credit of her faith - 2 Kings 5:15-19
    3. From this experience we learn that our labors will never be without some fruitage - I Cor. 15:58
    4. Said Jesus to the disciples, "I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" - John 15:6
  4. Also, that it matters not what the circumstances or the environment may be, how forbidding things may seem:
    1. We must let our light shine; the apostles did - Acts 4:5; Paul and Silas did - Acts 16
    2. In fact6, God allows some of his witnesses to get into situations that seem forbidding only to break through the darkness and defuse the light - 2 Cor. 4:6
    3. That was the case of the little maid, a slave in the hand of the enemy


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