By Daniel Darling

2 Kings 5:2-19 (see complete scripture below)

She was a Jewish refugee, rudely stolen from her home and forced into slavery by the Assyrian army.

She as separated from her family and living in a foreign country with a foreign language and a foreign culture.

She was lonely, isolated, and probably a little angry.

But the servant girl mentioned in 2 Kings—whose name we don’t even know—demonstrated extraordinary forgiveness toward the very people who had made her life miserable.

She served Naaman, the most powerful general in the country. Naaman was a great man, but he had a serious problem. He was a leper. He desperately tried every cure and medicine known to man. But nothing brought him relief.

But this servant girl—probably in her early teens—was a believer. She knew that God could work miracles. So she stepped up and courageously suggested that Naaman visit the prophet and do what he says.

Her actions brought relief to the very person who had uprooted her from her country. Instead of bitterness, this young teen chose forgiveness and love.

I don’t have to tell you that forgiveness is hard. It’s real hard, especially toward those who have wronged you. I know that there are young people reading this who have been abused.

A parent that left them.

A family member that abused them.

A teacher who has made their lives miserable.

Why forgive? Why not continue in bitterness?

Because forgiveness helps you. It lifts the weight off of your shoulders and places it squarely on God’s. It is only thru His powerful, transforming, life changing love that you can begin to find healing and hope.

How did this young girl forgive her captor? She began to see His real need. He needed to hear of Jehovah. And so does that person who wronged you. Maybe it is your hurt and your pain that will lead them to Christ.

This doesn’t mean the hurt goes away overnight. It doesn’t mean that you won’t struggle with hard feelings about them. It doesn’t mean you will suddenly want them to be your best friend!

No, forgiveness is simply taking your pain and your burden and giving it to the Lord.

2 Kings 5:2-19 (NIV)

2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[a] of silver, six thousand shekels[b] of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.

17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD. 18 But may the LORD forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant for this.”

19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said.