Naaman’s Servant Girl: A Bedtime Story

Lily, Ben, and Sam were back at their grandparents’ house, and once again, they couldn’t resist the temptation to explore the attic. After their last adventures, they were eager to see what new story the old book might reveal.

"Do you think the book will show us something different today?" Lily asked as they climbed the creaky stairs.

"I hope so," Ben said with a grin. "It’s like our own little time machine!"

When they reached the attic, the old book was still sitting on the wooden table. Ben carefully opened it, and as expected, the soft, golden light began to glow from the pages. The light wrapped around them, and the attic began to spin, just like before.

"Here we go!" Sam exclaimed as the light grew brighter.

When the spinning stopped, they found themselves standing in a place that was very different from anything they had seen before. They were in a large, beautiful house, with grand pillars and marble floors. But the children’s attention was quickly drawn to a small girl, no older than Lily, who was sweeping the floor.

"Where are we now?" Lily wondered, looking around.

Ben thought for a moment and then whispered, "I think we’re in the house of Naaman, a powerful commander in the army of Aram. And that girl… she’s the servant girl from Israel."

The children watched the little girl as she worked quietly, her face thoughtful and kind. Even though she was a servant in a foreign land, she still remembered the God of Israel, and she trusted Him with all her heart.

As they watched, a man entered the room. He was tall and strong, but he looked sad and worried. The children recognized him as Naaman, the mighty commander. But something was wrong—Naaman’s skin was covered in white patches. He had leprosy, a terrible disease that made people suffer and feel very alone.

"That’s Naaman," Ben whispered to his siblings. "He’s a great warrior, but he’s sick with leprosy. No one can cure it."

The little servant girl noticed Naaman’s sadness. She felt sorry for him because she knew that leprosy was a disease that no one could heal. But the girl also knew something else—she knew about the prophet Elisha in Israel, a man of God who could perform miracles.

With courage in her heart, the little girl approached Naaman’s wife. "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria," she said softly. "He would cure him of his leprosy."

Lily, Ben, and Sam watched in amazement. "She’s so brave!" Lily whispered. "She’s just a servant, but she’s helping him!"

Naaman’s wife listened to the little girl and told Naaman what she had said. Naaman was desperate for a cure, so he decided to go to Israel to find this prophet.

The children watched as Naaman prepared for the journey. He took along gifts and letters from the king, hoping to find the prophet and be healed. When Naaman finally arrived in Israel, he found Elisha’s house. But instead of meeting him, Elisha sent a messenger with a simple instruction: "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River, and your flesh will be restored."

Naaman was surprised and a little angry. "What? I thought the prophet would come out and wave his hand over me to cure me! The rivers in my country are better than any in Israel. Why should I wash in the Jordan?"

"He doesn’t understand," Sam said quietly. "But he needs to trust God."

Ben nodded. "Sometimes what God asks us to do seems strange, but we have to believe that He knows best."

Naaman’s servants came to him and said, "If the prophet had told you to do something great, wouldn’t you have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed!’"

After thinking about it, Naaman decided to follow Elisha’s instructions. He went to the Jordan River and dipped himself in the water seven times, just as the prophet had said.

Lily, Ben, and Sam held their breath as they watched. On the seventh dip, something amazing happened—Naaman’s skin was completely healed! The white patches disappeared, and his skin became as smooth and healthy as a child’s.

"He’s cured!" Lily whispered excitedly.

Naaman was overjoyed. He returned to Elisha and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant."

But Elisha refused the gifts, saying, "As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing." Naaman understood that the healing was a gift from God, not something that could be bought.

The children watched as Naaman returned home, full of gratitude and faith in the God of Israel. And when he arrived back at his house, the first person he wanted to thank was the little servant girl who had told him about the prophet.

The golden light returned, wrapping around Lily, Ben, and Sam, lifting them off the ground. As the light carried them back to the attic, they felt the familiar spinning sensation. When the light faded, they were back in their grandparents’ house, the old book still open in front of them.

"That little girl had such big faith," Lily said, her voice filled with admiration. "She trusted God, even though she was just a servant."

"And because of her faith, Naaman was healed," Ben added. "She wasn’t powerful or important, but she knew what God could do."

Sam smiled, feeling inspired. "It shows that even the smallest people can do great things when they believe in God."

The children knew they had learned something important from the servant girl’s story. As they left the attic and headed downstairs, they talked about how they could have faith like her, trusting God no matter what.

And that night, as they drifted off to sleep, they dreamed of rivers, miracles, and the kind of faith that can change lives—just like the faith of Naaman’s servant girl.

The End