Have you ever read the story of Naaman? It is a beautiful story of God’s work through a faithful Israelite servant girl who was captured by foreigners, but cared about the well-being of those she served in her captivity. She had the heart of a servant.
We don’t know her name – God didn’t deem that necessary information for us to have. But God preserved the account of her involvement in the life of a foreigner for our edification.
What we do know is that she was a faithful servant to God. She held the key to people’s earthly and eternal well-being. Though she was held captive, she didn’t fail to do good for others. This servant girl was humble and meek. She cared about people, as should all of us who have a relationship with Jesus.
We only know how she impacted the life of one man, whose fate was forever changed because of her boldness. But God may have also used her in the lives of many others, especially when Naaman returned home a changed man.
Everyone who has a relationship with God, through Jesus, holds the key to eternal life. As God’s servants, we should also be bold to share the message of Jesus and His gift of love with others. Our circumstances should not hold us back from doing this, just as the servant girl did not allow her captivity to keep her from pointing Naaman toward God.
This is the story from 2 Kings 1:1-16:
“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.” Leprosy was an incurable skin disorder, that often caused people to be segregated from everyone. It usually meant isolation. It is a picture of what sin does to a person.
Leviticus 13 details God’s instructions regarding a leper. Leprosy is a picture of sin.
Sin defiles us. Sin is deadly. Sin creates loneliness and isolation. Sin is destructive. Sin makes us unclean in God’s perspective. The “cure” only comes once a person has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Sin separates us from God, and only God can heal that separation, which He did through Jesus’ work on the cross.
“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.” This young girl cared, and provided the key to the path of Naaman’s healing.
“Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy?” We cannot heal anyone, but we hold the key to the One who can – the Sovereign God!
“See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.” Naaman had to follow the guidance provided in order to be given the way to be cleansed. In the same way, God’s people need to share the Gospel with others so that they can know the way to healing. There is only one name under heaven by which people can be cleansed of their unrighteousness, of their sin, and that is through Jesus [“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12]
“Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” There is no formula for a physical healing. Jesus healed people in different ways. There is only one way to be spiritually healed, and that comes through the confession of one’s sinful state, humbly acknowledging the absolute need for Jesus to atone for our sins.
“But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.” In the same way that people reject the opportunity to know Jesus today, Naaman went off spitting and sputtering, and rejected the message that would lead to his healing.
But God, through Naaman’s servants, drew him back to what needed to be done for his healing: “Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” God’s physical healings point us to our need for spiritual healing. When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are thoroughly cleansed of our unrighteousness.
Naaman’s physical cleansing wasn’t the end of the story. It was only the beginning of his story: “Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” The truth prevailed. The girl with a servant’s heart led a man to the knowledge of God. That is our same goal as God’s people. We, as His faithful servants, should take every opportunity God presents to share the knowledge of God, and His great work of redemption through Jesus. Our hearts should be tender toward others, in the same way Jesus’ heart is tender toward us.
“So please accept a gift from your servant.” The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.” Elisha knew that taking money was not acceptable. Salvation cannot be purchased. Our cleansing from our sin is a gift from God. A gift is not something we pay for. A gift is free.
Eternal life is God’s free gift to all who will accept the work of Jesus. The results of a true experience with Jesus is a servant heart.
Naaman’s servant girl held the key to healing, not just physical healing but the greater gift of spiritual healing. We hold that key to people’s healing also, to their eternal life.
What is the condition of your heart toward others? How faithful are we as God’s servants in sharing the Gospel? If your heart is not in the proclamation of the Gospel, perhaps you need to start fresh with Jesus. I praise God for those of you who have a servant’s heart!
If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please reach out to me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com
In the same way that Naaman’s life, after his healing, would never be the same, neither will yours when you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. You cannot even begin to understand the amazing future that awaits you when you choose to surrender your life to Jesus.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you.
Copyright 2023 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.