As we approach the Fall (something that isn't happily discussed in this house full of students and a teacher) I'm looking forward to getting back on the road and preaching revivals in churches. Always the question is "what should I talk about?" A few weeks ago, I preached a sermon about an un-named girl in 2 Kings. I named her as an Agent of Redemption. Here's why.We know that when she was young, she was stolen away from her home and family by raiding warriors from the neighboring country. It was common practice in the ancient world for captives to become slaves, and so it fell upon her. Naaman was the general of Syria's armies and responsible for raiding parties like the one that had taken this little girl from Israel. She became a slave in Naaman's house, serving Naaman's wife.
As time went by, Naaman became sick with leprosy. The little girl told her mistress, "If only my master would go to see the prophet in Israel. He would cure him of his leprosy!" Naaman's wife told him, he told his king and his king sent him to Israel. Long story short, Naaman was cured.
But what about that little girl? Let me tell you, if I had been stolen from my home, sold into slavery in a foreign country and the man who was in charge of that got sick, I would probably not have told him about a cure! I would probably have laughed out loud! "Ah ha! Serves you right! There is a God! Justice!" I probably would have hoped for a long and painful end for him. He hurt me, so now it's his turn to hurt!
She didn't do that. She became an Agent of Redemption in Naaman's life. She returned good for evil, she fulfilled the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount hundreds of years before Jesus' time. She spoke up and offered help to one who should have been her enemy. I tell you, I get excited about it everytime I talk about it. THIS is Christianity! This is a radical thing, capable of changing culture and crossing lines and verifying the Gospel!
The next time you get bad service at a restaurant, your boss blames you falsely or your children let you down, stop for a moment. Instead of blaming, recriminating, plotting or cursing, choose a better option. Live up to the Christian Gospel by becoming for your adversary an Agent of Redemption! Speak for their encouragement, return good for their evil, smile and speak of Jesus with joy. What a different response that would be! What a testimony!
What a girl!
