Teaching

Syria and Israel share a border. Back in Naaman’s time, Syrian soldiers often made quick raids into Israel. During one attack, they took the young Israelite girl captive and brought her to the city of Damascus in Syria. There, she became a maid for Naaman’s wife.

If you were captured by an army and forced to become a servant, how would you feel?

Would you want to help your master?

The young Israelite girl did! She was taken from her family, friends, home, and her country. She easily could have been bitter and angry. She could have thought that Naaman’s leprosy was a punishment for what he did to her people. Instead, she wanted to help her master. She wanted him to experience God’s healing power, love, and mercy. God’s love was in her heart, not revenge!

The enemy took the servant girl away from her people, yet they could not take her away from God! It is the same for us. No matter where we are, or who we are with, God is with us; and He will use us for His glory! God was able to use the lowly servant girl because she remained faithful to Him even when bad things happened. She knew that God could heal her master and she shared her faith!

Who remembers the SuperTruth from Large Group?

Let’s say it together. “God uses simple things for His glory.”

Yes, God used a simple, young servant to bring His love and healing power to an important, powerful, foreign commander. Why do you think that God chose to use someone simple like the servant girl instead of someone who was powerful or rich or famous?

The young servant was actually a slave; she was not free to come and go. She did not have wealth, pride or possessions to hinder or distract her. She had nothing to boast or brag about. Point to the board.

The one thing she did have was her relationship with God. Write “GOD” in very large letters to fill the board. She could not boast or brag about herself; she could only boast in God!

People would know Naaman’s miracle came from God, not from a person. Only the Lord would receive the glory!

Our SuperVerse, 1 Corinthians 1:27, says:

But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame.

The world would consider the servant girl weak and foolish for sharing her faith in God. Now, let’s see what a wise and powerful man looks like in the world’s eyes.

Erase GOD and write HUMAN in large letters in the center of the board. Then, write the following words around the word “human” to fill up the board as you discuss each one: POWER, IMPORTANCE, WEALTH, and PRIDE.

The world would say that the king of Israel had POWER, right? He was in charge and commanded people to do things. The king had a lot of IMPORTANCE and made a lot of big decisions. He ruled his kingdom, made plans, and formed strategies. The king also had great WEALTH. He was probably filled with PRIDE because of his position and accomplishments and riches.

Did the young servant girl have any of these things?

Did she have power, importance, wealth, or pride?

She had something more important though; what was it? She had faith in God!

She had something greater than power and wealth; she had faith in God. In comparison to her faith, the king was poor! He did not trust in God’s power like the servant girl.

Read 2 Kings 5:7:

When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “This man sends me a leper to heal! Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.”

The king believed Naaman’s request was a trick. He didn’t think of calling on God’s power to heal Naaman. He just panicked.

What happened when Elisha heard about the king’s response? Elisha sent a message telling the king to send Naaman to him.

Why?

Elisha wanted him to know there was a true prophet in Israel and God would be glorified!

Let’s say the SuperVerse together. 1 Corinthians 1:27:

But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame.

This is why God chooses to use what the world says is simple, foolish and weak; He can receive glory!

Act as if you want to write on the board but there is no room. The king had all these things, yet there isn’t room for God, is there? The wise and the powerful are often too full of other things. They do not rely on God and they do not bring Him glory. Erase the board and write GOD to fill it.

However, when weak and helpless people rely on God, He fills them with His strength, power and wisdom. He shows them His plans so they know the right thing to do. And God receives all the glory.

Naaman, a powerful and important man, was healed and began to worship the one true God through the simple faith of a young girl!

The young servant was willing to share all she had with her master—her faith in God. We serve the same God that the servant did. We personally know the Lord of lords and the King of kings. We have even more—Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to live inside us and give us His power, wisdom, strength, and provision. And He gives us the power to share our faith with others!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Display the model you made before class. Give each child a Clothes Basket Pattern and a Garment Pattern for Lesson 1, plus children’s scissors and pencils. Children will follow the instructions to assemble their baskets, then carefully cut out the three blue garments for Lesson 1. Have them write their names on their baskets and place the garments inside. Assist any children with special needs.

In the video, the servant girl was folding and carrying some things. What were they? Clothes, towels, cloths.

The servant girl did small but important tasks to serve her master and his wife in their home. She was a simple, humble servant, and God used her for His glory. Did you know that we are to be humble servants, too? Yes, we are humble servants of Christ. When we choose to serve Christ, we are clothed by Him—not with physical clothes that you can see with your eyes, but with spiritual clothes.

When we allow God to put these clothes or garments on us, we can serve others and bring God glory through simple acts of service and love! In your baskets are three garments you cut out. On each garment is a scripture for you to look up at home and discover what you are clothed with by God! Fill in the blanks on the garments, and we will discuss your answers the next time we meet. Then, you will receive three more garments to continue the challenge. As an additional challenge, ask the Holy Spirit to help you “wear” these spiritual garments to bring God glory!

Optional: If time allows, have the children look up the scripture on each garment: Colossians 3:12; 2 Chronicles 6:41; and Proverbs 31:25. Have them write the answers on their garments, then discuss how God can help us show these qualities in our lives.

Answers: Colossians: mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; 2 Chronicles: salvation; Proverbs: strength and dignity.