Renewing Your Mind — "The Maid of Naaman's Wife"

Air date: December 1, 2025
Host: Nathan W. Bingham
Speaker: Dr. Derek Thomas

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Derek Thomas opens a series on the "lesser-known characters of the Bible," focusing on the unnamed Israelite girl who served as the maid to Naaman’s wife in 2 Kings 5. The narrative, deeply rooted in themes of providence, faith, humility, and God’s sovereignty, explores the pivotal role this seemingly insignificant figure plays in God’s unfolding plan. Dr. Thomas examines how her faith and single, simple act set in motion events that led to the healing and spiritual transformation of Naaman, a prominent Syrian general.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Maid and Naaman’s Context

• Human trafficking and suffering (00:00–03:00)

  • Dr. Thomas begins by highlighting the maid’s plight as a victim of human trafficking, captured during a Syrian raid into Israel and forever separated from her family.
  • "She has no name and that’s fascinating. She’s lost forever. Her parents never saw her again. But she does one thing and it changes history." — Dr. Thomas (00:00)

• Historical and geopolitical backdrop (01:29–03:00)

  • Naaman, a Syrian general (Aram), is introduced as a mighty but afflicted man—he is a leper, and the powerful context contrasts sharply with the vulnerability of the girl.

2. The Providence of God (03:05–06:30)

• God’s sovereignty in all events
  • The story is framed as one about the providence of God, controlling both “big things and small things”—kings and generals as well as an unnamed girl.
  • "God is sovereign over everything. And he's sovereign even over pagan kings and generals... Nothing happens without God willing it to happen... in the way that it happens." — Dr. Thomas (04:30)
  • Reference to the hymn by William Cowper: “God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform...” — (05:10)

3. Faith of the Servant Girl vs. Fear of the King (06:35–12:00)

• Contrast between faith and unbelief
  • The maid's simple faith: she tells her mistress that the prophet Elisha could heal Naaman. This act of faith starts the chain of events.
  • “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.” — Dr. Thomas, quoting maid’s words (03:00)
  • The king of Israel (possibly Jehoram) receives Naaman’s request with suspicion and fear.
  • “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? ...he is seeking a quarrel with me.” — Dr. Thomas, quoting the king (10:00)
  • Juxtaposition: the outwardly powerful king acts in fear, while the powerless servant girl acts in bold faith.

4. God’s Humbling of the Proud (12:01–18:00)

• Naaman's pride and humiliation
  • Elisha refuses to meet Naaman in person, sending a messenger instead and telling Naaman to wash in the Jordan.
  • Naaman is indignant, believing the rivers of Damascus superior to the Jordan’s humble stream.
  • “Elisha is treating Naaman like a leper. He doesn’t come anywhere near him. It’s God’s way to humble us to the ground. It’s this way or not at all.” — Dr. Thomas (15:45)
  • Biblical principle: Before experiencing God’s grace, pride must be broken. The story foreshadows the Gospel—grace comes through humility.

5. Naaman’s Transformation and Gratitude (18:01–20:35)

• Naaman’s healing
  • Naaman submits, bathes seven times, and is healed.
  • “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So accept now a present from your servant.” — Dr. Thomas, quoting Naaman (18:50)
  • Naaman adopts a posture of humility (“your servant,” repeated five times).
• Worship and integrity in a pagan setting
  • Naaman requests to take Israelite earth home—a symbol of his devotion.
  • He seeks forgiveness in advance for when he must assist his king in pagan rituals.
  • “Please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth... For from now on, your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.” — Dr. Thomas, quoting Naaman (19:30)

6. The Integrity (or Lack Thereof) of God’s Servants (20:36–23:00)

• Gehazi’s greed and judgment
  • Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, deceives Naaman to gain silver and clothes. Elisha, aware of the deception, announces God’s judgment: Gehazi inherits Naaman’s leprosy.
  • “Elisha is a prophet, and prophets knew stuff... Gehazi becomes a leper. That was his punishment.” — Dr. Thomas (22:00)
  • Irony: the foreign general is healed; the Israelite servant is stricken due to greed.

7. The Significance and Legacy of the Servant Girl (23:01–23:35)

• A single act of faith changes history
  • Dr. Thomas draws the lesson back to the unnamed maid; her small act of faith alters the course of several lives.
  • “None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for the faith of that little girl... She had one thing to do, and she did it, and did it well.” — Dr. Thomas (23:20)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On unseen significance:
  “She has no name, and that’s fascinating. She’s lost forever. Her parents never saw her again. There were no milk cartons with her face on it. But she does one thing and it changes history.” — Dr. Derek Thomas (00:00, 05:52)

• On providence:
  “God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform... deep in unfathomable mines of never failing skill, he treasures up his bright designs and works his sovereign will.” — Dr. Derek Thomas quoting William Cowper (05:10)

• On humility before grace:
  “Pride, like a balloon, needs to be burst. Pride will keep you from the favor and grace of God.” — Dr. Derek Thomas (16:40)

• On the forgotten hero:
  “All of this has come about because of an act of a little girl who says to her mistress, ‘Would that my Lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.’” — Dr. Derek Thomas (23:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:30: Introduction to the maid’s story and its modern relevance
• 01:29–03:30: Recap of 2 Kings 5 and the context of Naaman and Syria
• 04:30–06:30: God’s providence in large and small matters
• 06:35–10:00: The faith of the servant girl contrasted with the fear of Israel’s king
• 12:01–15:45: Naaman’s pride, humiliating encounter with Elisha
• 18:45–20:35: Naaman’s healing and conversion
• 21:35–22:50: Gehazi’s greed and punishment
• 23:01–23:35: Final reflection on the maid’s historical impact

Tone & Language

Dr. Thomas speaks with a blend of scholarly insight, pastoral warmth, and contemporary application. The episode remains faithful to the biblical text while also drawing out enduring truths about God’s sovereignty, humbling grace, and the quiet power of faithful obedience—even from those the world might forget.

Conclusion

The episode elevates the unnamed maid as a model of courageous faith in impossible circumstances. Her single act of obedience becomes the instrument through which God displays His sovereignty, humbles the proud, and brings life-changing grace even to unlikely recipients. Dr. Thomas encourages listeners to be faithful in their own “one thing,” no matter how small it may seem, trusting God with the results.

Memorable closing thought:
“She had one thing to do, and she did it, and did it well.” — Dr. Derek Thomas (23:20)