Naaman’s Little Maid
T.D. Jakes
2 Kings 5: 1-14
She’s a common, ordinary woman---very young woman at that. She works an insignificant job, going absolutely nowhere. But little does she know that she is a woman on a mission, placed there by God to represent Him and to speak His word boldly and without fear.
This little maid was on location for a moment that she could not have foreseen. She was not there merely to make the beds and clean the closets. From the beginning, God had orchestrated her life. All of her toil and troubles had prepared her. She may have considered herself poor and unworthy; her life, mediocre. But she was there by divine appointment- to be a witness in the house of a rich man. And one day made all the difference- the day she realized that she was there to deliver a life-changing message to a mighty man.
Can you imagine how she felt when those words leaped up in her heart? She had to have been a woman who could respond at a moment’s notice. Tradition had taught her to be silent in the presence of a man. But there was a still, small voice inside her that challenged her to speak.
So she opened her mouth and cleared her throat and spoke deliverance to him. Her tender voice arrested her master’s leprosy, and in that instant, she was the richest woman in the kingdom. For wealth is not determined by status or income. Her wealth was her wisdom, spoken under the inspiration of the Master Conductor of her life, far exceeding any earthy pay.
Just think of it- mighty men can be moved by little maids! Every woman must understand that she has a purpose for being in the place she’s in. She may be a little maid, but she has a big message.
Many women will be world- shakers as they mother their children, nurture friendships, and encourage their men. They are the keepers of the flame and the guardians at the gate and though they may never be famous, they will always be significant. Their contribution too infinite to be calculated, their words too powerful to be recorded. They instill wisdom in their children, hope in the hearts of broken men, and terror in the heart of the enemy. It is their words of encouragement that ignite the flame of passion that produces kings and conquerors.
Now the world will see the Naamans and the presidents and the CEOs, but none of these would ever attain such heights if it were not for the little maids. The prophet Joel reminds us that in the last days, God will pour out His spirit upon His handmaidens (see Joel 1: 29). There is an anointing for women to speak the right words at the right time and to run their insignificant positions into mighty pulpits. They will be able to preach earth-shaking revivals in quiet rooms to one broken man who desperately needs to receive a word from God.
Take courage. Don’t be intimidated by those around you. Don’t allow subservient positions or poor wages to stifle your lips of praise. Be renewed in your mind. You are in the right place at the right time. God will use you as only He can. Listen carefully. The Master Conductor is about to give you your cue.
2 Kings 5: 1-14
1 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, 2 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. 3 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.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”
5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,
Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.
7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” 8 So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his cloths, that he sent to the king, saying “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
8 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying. “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said. “Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy. 12 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to prophet and told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean?” 14 So he went down and dripped seven times in the Jordan, according to the flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Joel 1: 29
29 And also on my menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.