Project Description

2016/03

A Word To Women

“A little maid.” (2 Kings 5:2)

We can be very quick to dismiss the words of a child or young person – “He’s only a child, what would he know?” The disciples were quick to turn the children away, but the Lord Jesus welcomed them and took them in His arms. In 2 Kings 5 we read of an unnamed “little maid” whose simple witness earned her a mention in the Scriptures.

Born in Israel, the little maid had been well taught in the Word from her earliest years.  I imagine her in a happy home, learning at her mother’s knee, and happily helping in the family chores. However her life was to change dramatically. An enemy attacked and she was carried off as a slave to Syria. She may well have witnessed family and friends die as they tried to defend themselves.  The little maid found herself serving the wife of Naaman, the Syrian army captain responsible for her abduction. In such circumstances we might expect her to be angry and bitter, longing for revenge or deliverance. She was neither.

A great cloud hung over the home of Naaman. It was a wealthy home but money buys neither happiness nor health. The slaves crept about their duties, conscious that their master had a terrible illness. No treatment, no hope! It would have been easy to say, “It serves him right!” However in the life of this little maid, the grace of God shone through! Saddened to hear that the master was ill, she longed to help him. Growing up, she had heard of, perhaps even witnessed, some of the miracles performed through Elijah and Elisha, and her faith was undiminished. “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! For he would recover him of his leprosy.” It was the simple faith of a child, but such is the faith necessary for salvation (Luke 18:17), and such is the faith that sees prayer answered.

The little maid’s knowledge was limited.  There is no record of Elisha having been used to heal any other lepers, indeed the opposite is true. “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.”(Luke 4:27) Don’t make your limited knowledge an excuse for not speaking a word in season. Speak and let the Lord fill your mouth with acceptable words. Study also to increase your knowledge and pray for the Lord’s help. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

The words of the little maid were acted upon. If Israel had a cure for leprosy, then Syria was prepared to pay handsomely to receive it. If Naaman had really listened to the little maid’s words he would have gone to Elisha, not the King of Israel. He would yet learn that God’s blessings are not bought by great riches but by humbling oneself in obedience to the Lord. Naaman eventually obeyed the prophet and received complete cleansing from his leprosy, “his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child” (2 Kings 5:14). He also experienced the cleansing of his sin, “thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.” (2 Kings 5:17)

We do well to emulate this little maid who did good to those who despitefully used her (Matthew 5:44) and who shared her faith with wonderful consequences. And let us seek to win the young for the Saviour and encourage them to witness to others.

Mrs Olive Maxwell