The Lesson of Three Servants part 1

Last Sunday I spoke about the Lesson of the Three Servants.

Jesus said in Matthew 20:28 “The Son of man did not come to be served but to serve!”

The question is what kind of servant are we? Whether we are a believer or non-believer we are all servants of someone
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In the Books of 2 Kings ch 5. We get a glimpse of two very different servants.

The first servant is a believer working for a non- believer.

When I get to heaven, this is one of the first persons I want to find. She was a girl captured on one of the Syrian raids of Israel. We don’t know whether her parents also were taken, killed or still living in Israel. What we do know is she was taken to a foreign country against her will and forced to work in the household of the commander (Naaman) of the forces that attacked her homeland. She is in this position when she overhears her mistress lamenting about her husband’s diagnosis of Leprosy.

Her response is one of the most amazing I have ever witnessed. Most of us in the same position would be filled with joy - even vindication at this news. Leprosy! Yes! If anyone deserved it Naaman does! Take that for attacking my country, destroying my family and making me your prisoner! May your body parts drop one by one in front of your eyes!

But no, she does not rejoice. In fact she is greatly distressed for her “master”. Her response is to tell her mistress – not merely how sorry she is – but how Naaman can be healed of this terrible curse!

Incredible! We know so little about her, yet these few sentences tell us just enough to be astounded by the richness of her character. Why? Naaman goes immediately to the King of Syria and tells him with all confidence the solution this servant girl has offered. Why would he do this? His response gives us the key to her character, her attributes.

1. Reliability- She has apparently always been dependable with every task she has been given.
2. Truthfulness She was not one to either exaggerate, lie or mix truth with fantasy.
3. Compassion She was genuinely concerned and grieved with the plight of her master.
4. Forgiveness She held no grudge or secret desire for revenge, but instead freely forgave the wrong that was done to her by living her life continuing to follow the teachings she had as a child to love and honor God even in this circumstance of servitude to a known enemy!

Tomorrow we will look at the next example of a servant.