They Did Jehovah’s Will
A Little Girl Who Spoke With Courage
DURING the tenth century B.C.E., relations between Israel and Syria were strained. Outbreaks of fighting were so common that when three years elapsed without violence, it was a matter for the historic record.—1 Kings 22:1.
Especially threatening in those times were the Syrian marauder bands, some consisting of hundreds of soldiers. These warriors would raid and plunder the Israelites, abducting and enslaving many—even children.
During one raid, “a little girl” was mercilessly torn away from her God-fearing family. (2 Kings 5:2) Taken to Syria, she was forced to live among those whom she may have found frightening and strange—a people who worshiped the sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, and even stones. How different they were from her family and friends, who worshiped the one true God, Jehovah! Even in this strange environment, however, this girl exhibited outstanding courage regarding the worship of Jehovah. As a result, she changed the life of a prominent official serving under the king of Syria. Let us see how.
The Courage to Speak Up
The little girl is left unnamed in the Bible account. She became a maidservant to the wife of Naaman, a valiant army chief under King Ben-hadad II. (2 Kings 5:1) Though he was highly esteemed, Naaman had the loathsome disease leprosy.
Perhaps the girl’s respectful manner moved Naaman’s wife to confide in her. The woman may have asked the girl, ‘What is done for lepers in Israel?’ This Israelite maiden was not ashamed to state boldly: “If only my lord were before the prophet that is in Samaria! In that case he would recover him from his leprosy.”—2 Kings 5:3.
This girl’s words were not shrugged off as a childish fantasy. On the contrary, they were reported to King Ben-hadad, who sent Naaman and others on a 100-mile [150 km] journey to Samaria in search of this prophet.—2 Kings 5:4, 5.
The Healing of Naaman
Naaman and his men went to King Jehoram of Israel, bearing a letter of introduction from Ben-hadad and a sizable monetary gift. Not surprisingly, calf-worshiping King Jehoram did not display the faith in God’s prophet that the servant girl did. Instead, he thought that Naaman had come seeking a quarrel. When God’s prophet Elisha heard of Jehoram’s apprehension, he at once sent a message requesting that the king send Naaman to his house.—2 Kings 5:6-8.
When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, the prophet sent out a messenger who told him: “You must bathe seven times in the Jordan that your flesh may come back to you; and be clean.” (2 Kings 5:9, 10) Naaman was infuriated. Expecting a miraculous and ostentatious display, he asked: “Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Can I not bathe in them and certainly be clean?” Naaman turned away from Elisha’s house in a rage. But when Naaman’s servants reasoned with him, he finally yielded. After bathing seven times in the Jordan River, “his flesh came back like the flesh of a little boy and he became clean.”—2 Kings 5:11-14.
Returning to Elisha, Naaman said: “Here, now, I certainly know that there is no God anywhere in the earth but in Israel.” Naaman vowed that he would “no more render up a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other gods but to Jehovah.”—2 Kings 5:15-17.
Lessons for Us
Naaman would not have gone to the prophet Elisha if a young servant girl had not spoken up courageously. Today, many youths are acting in a similar way. At school, they may be surrounded by students who have no interest in serving God. Nevertheless, they speak up about what they believe. Some of them begin doing so at a remarkably tender age.
Consider Alexandra, a five-year-old girl in Australia. When she started school, her mother made an appointment to explain the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the teacher. But Alexandra’s mother was in for a surprise. “I am already familiar with a number of your beliefs, as well as what Alexandra will and will not do at school,” the teacher said. Alexandra’s mother was amazed, since there were no other Witness children at the school. “Alexandra filled us in,” the teacher explained. Yes, this little girl had already had a tactful discussion with her teacher.
Such young ones courageously speak out. They thus act in harmony with Psalm 148:12, 13: “You young men and also you virgins, you old men together with boys. Let them praise the name of Jehovah, for his name alone is unreachably high. His dignity is above earth and heaven.”