An Option

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada | Category: General | Mar 1989

It is given to us all to speak or remain silent. A young woman, confronted by this dilemma risked rebuke for possibly speaking out of place. She was a lowly servant in a prominent household, but she spoke because the issue involved a matter of life and death for her employer. She had a solution for his problem. How could she remain silent? She took the option open to her and passed on the word of hope. She told of the way whereby the man she served could he saved from death. What she did is a lesson to all Christians. Publicly and privately:

We've a message to give to the nations -

That the Lord who reigneth above

Hath sent us His Son to save us

And show us that God is love.

Let us not defer or delay in telling this message at every opportunity.

Our heroine, the Jewish maid who was servant to Naaman's wife, was clear in her instructions as to how Naaman could be cleansed. "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:3 NIV): a clear, concise statement of faith and truth. And we must be just as clear and straightforward when telling sinners they must come to Christ alone for the cleansing of their sins. We must make sure, too, that they are not misdirected as Naaman was when Syria's king sent him to Israel's king for the cure (v.6).

Fortunately, Syria's army commander found his way to the prophet's house and received directions to wash in the Jordan seven times to be cleansed of his leprosy. Naaman resented those instructions. "I thought he would surely come out to me call on the name of the LORD wave his hand over the spot and cure me" (v.11 NIV). This is man's typical reaction: "I thought". Man's idea of curing sin often has the image of hand waving and incantation, the concept of magic or the casting of a spell. Do not be surprised, beloved, if people want to change the subject by telling you how salvation from sin can be accomplished by their own little plan. Be patient, having explained the divine plan of repentance from sin, trust, forgiveness, eternal cleansing and eternal life. Keep on quietly persuading, just as Naaman's servant did. The outcome: "So he went down and dipped... and became clean" (v.14). Naaman had to go to Jordan, the river of death. The sinner has to go to Calvary, place of the Saviour's death.

It is important for saved sinners to give their testimonies; to tell others of the great things the Lord has done for them. We should instruct and encourage them in this. Naaman's testimony was in the earth he brought back from the place of his cleansing, to his home where he raised an altar for all to see. On it he would offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to his new-found God and Saviour. He would not be ashamed for others to know that he had turned to God from idols.

Naaman is an example to us all; but we must not forget that he was blessed because a young woman exercised her option.

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada | Mar 1989
General