When I was growing up, I thought that the only way to share God’s Word with people was to be a missionary in a foreign land. Since then I have learned not only that I do not need this lifestyle in order to speak God’s Word but also that I can speak it as I am, and in everyday situations of my life. Here are two Biblical records, each one showing the life of a person who was not a missionary nor a prophet nor an apostle; these were faithful believers who believed God and spoke for Him in a moment in their lives. The effect that their words and their believing had on other people was tremendous!
THE LITTLE MAID WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE
The first record shows the difference that a captive “little maid” initiated in a person’s life by speaking up when she had the opportunity.
II Kings 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.
The maid had concern for Naaman’s well-being even though Naaman was a Gentile (not of the children of Israel) and the captain of the army which had taken her captive. She did not try to make a deal with him for her freedom in exchange for information on how he could get healed. Nor did she refrain from sharing with his wife what she believed was available for him. Rather, with courage and kindness, she shined for God in this moment of opportunity to speak what was in her believing heart.
And what an impact this had on Naaman! The rest of the record tells of the miraculous healing that Naaman received when he did go to the prophet in Samaria (II Kings 5:5-14). His healing opportunity began with this young maid who spoke what she believed to the person she had access to—Naaman’s wife.
A SIBLING WHO COURAGEOUSLY SPOKE UP WITH BELIEVING
A second record of someone speaking up with believing in a moment of opportunity is about the sister of Moses. Moses was born to a Hebrew couple during the time when the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt. Furthermore, Pharaoh had decreed that all newborn Hebrew baby boys must be thrown into the river (Exodus 1:22). Yet, Moses’ mother hid her baby son for the first three months of his life. When she could no longer hide him, she made a small ark that would hold her baby and float on the river. She then placed the ark on the river’s edge. Moses’ sister watched from a distance to see what would happen to him (Exodus 2:1-4). Her mother could have told her to do so, or perhaps she did it on her own out of love for her baby brother. Then the following occurred:
Exodus 2:5-9:
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
Moses’ mother got to continue to care for Moses until he was old enough to become a son of Pharaoh’s daughter and live with her. This was a result not only of his mother’s believing to keep him alive after he was born but also of his sister’s bold speaking when the opportunity arose. Did she have some fear of talking to Egyptians, who were their taskmasters and held them in bondage? And to one of the royal household no less? Did she have much sorrow in her heart that she was going to lose her brother? No matter what her emotions were, she overcame them with believing to shine her light for God with courage and wisdom, and without anger or hostility.
Both of these records illustrate the powerful, godly impact of speaking for God in the moment! We, too, can shine as lights in what may seem like small, insignificant moments when we speak God’s Word with believing. Perhaps someone will end up receiving deliverance, or perhaps there will be positive ripple effects over years of time. But no matter what the result, speaking for God in everyday situations of our lives is doing our part to make known God’s Word and will to others.