Daily devotion – The witness of the innocent!
The Power of a Young Witness
2 Kings 5:1–4
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”
This is one of my favourite stories in the Old Testament. It tells of a Gentile soldier—Naaman—who, despite his position and bravery, suffered from leprosy, an incurable disease even today.
In the midst of his suffering, God uses the most unlikely messenger—a young Jewish servant girl. Captured and taken from her homeland, she still spoke with faith and confidence in the God of Israel. She told Naaman’s wife about the prophet Elisha, through whom God worked mighty miracles. The rest of the story reveals Naaman’s obedience, his healing, and ultimately his encounter with the true and living God.
But to me, the true hero of this account is that young girl. Naaman needed the Lord, and she became the channel through which God was glorified and her master set free. Though a slave, she was in fact the one who was free—because she trusted completely in her God.
Her humble witness carried such conviction that Naaman’s wife believed her words and acted upon them. Never underestimate the power of a simple witness—for God can take words from the lips of a child and carry them to the ears of a king.
If you have children, give them opportunities to minister to you. Ask them to pray for your needs, your illnesses, your struggles—and watch how God can work through their faith. I often ask one of our grandchildren to pray for me, and their prayers are filled with the wonder, confidence, and power of God.
May the children of Calvary Chapel Secret Harbour be used in the same way—humble, believing, and powerful witnesses of the Almighty God whom we serve!