We Americans have an unreasonable preoccupation with celebrities and superstars. The amount of attention we give Kim Kardashian and Lebron James is staggering. But there is a vast difference between a superstar and a true hero. Our reading today in 2 Kings 5 points us to a true hero, a hero who found significance in her obscurity. We remember the names of Naaman, Elisha and Gehazi from the chapter but how many can recall the name of the little servant girl in this story? The truth is no one knows her name; she is simply called, "Naaman's wife's servant."
How does one become Naaman's servant girl? Most likely she is the spoil of a war that General Naaman fought. This servant girl suffered the loss of her family, her village and all hopes of what we would call a normal life.
Her dream of a man sweeping her off her feet, having a home and a family are all but dead. And who is responsible for her ruined life? General Naaman would be the culprit.
So payback day finally arrives. Naaman has leprosy. The man responsible for destroying her dreams, stealing her future, and condemning her life to slavery has a dreaded disease.
We expect to find her getting ready to dance on his grave. We can hear her whispering in the hallway, "Great, another finger fell off today!" But that is not what we see. This heroine did not stay a victim to the cruel circumstances of her life. She rose above bitterness and forgave Naaman. She was the one who encouraged him to seek healing from the prophet Elisha. The words, "If only my master" are the words of love from her lips.
That is my definition of a hero. It stands in stark contrast to what I would have done in this situation. Yet when we reflect on what she did, it is so gracious it almost seems supernatural.
And the impact of her life-giving grace transcends the corridors of time. Because Naaman was not only cured of his leprosy, he was cured of his sin too. And so this obscure little girl was able to impact his eternal destiny by her love.
So today think small.
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