Topic: LOVE IS THE WAY
Scripture:
2 KING 5:1-4
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
Naaman was·a great man. God had wrought deliverance by him. Naaman had a problem. It would be appropriate to say right here that great men, are not perfect men. Regardless of how strong someone may appear to be, they are only human and as humans they have problems too. This is good news because it tells us that God uses imperfect people. In other words: You or I do not have to be perfect, without fault or weakness or shortcomings for God to use us. The apostle Paul that said “His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.”That ought to encourage somebody right now who has been sitting on the sidelines because your still wrestling with an issue in your flesh, or you are still fighting certain fleshy desires, or you are struggling with a habit. You did not have to answer a questionnaire or pass a physical or spiritual exam to be saved, you just had to call upon the name of the Lord. Naaman was a great man not only because he was a great warrior, but also because he was willing to admit he had a problem. It takes a certain amount of greatness in a man or a woman, to admit they have a problem. Most people are quick to point out everybody else’s problem while conveniently overlooking their own.
There was something else that was great about Naaman, he had learned the art of listening, and he heard from a little slave girl that there was a prophet in Israel who could help her master. We have to stop here and talk about this little maid: What a wonderful Christian spirit she showed. While most slave girls would have been happy to hear of their captor’s illness, she desired his well-being. She exemplifies Jesus teachings: Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” If she would have been like most people she would have enjoyed watching her enemy suffer, and called it pay back. She directed Naaman to the Prophet: She knew where the power was, one of the most important things in your life is to know where the power is.
PRAYER
OH God, I pray that YOU will cause me to walk in love towards all men in Jesus name. Amen.
