Walking the Walk

If you’re going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk!  How many times have you heard that phrase before?  It could never be more true than in the Christian life. The way you live your life better match up with the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ when you share it.

The story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5 reminded me of this truth when I taught it this past Sunday at church. Just the first five verses show us how important our walk is when we want to share about God.

Naaman was the main commander of the Syrian army and the text emphasizes how great a man he was. But he was dying from leprosy with no cure for this disease at that time.

In the same text is a young Jewish girl that was a servant, or maiden, to Naaman’s wife. She was probably captured during one of Naaman’s military events and she was made a servant in his household. She was evidently privy to conversations between Naaman and his wife about his disease. This maiden tells her master that she wishes he was in her homeland of Samaria because there was a man of God there (Elisha) that could heal him of his disease.

This must have been relayed to Naaman because he goes to the king of Syria asking for permission to go to Samaria to find Elisha. This is what made me think of walking the walk and talking the talk.

Why would this commander, the second most powerful man in Syria, take the advice from this little Jewish servant girl?  It had to be because they had seen the life she lived under their roof. I assume she did all she was asked to do and probably some things she wasn’t asked to as well. She lived a life of service to the God of Israel that Naaman and his wife did not worship.

When it was time for her to speak up, her life gave additional credence to the words she spoke. They saw in her a faith in God that had an effect on these two non-believers. So much so that they were willing to take her advice and seek after Elisha.

Naaman found Elisha and he gave him instructions to be healed. By faith Naaman followed the instructions and was healed of his leprosy. All because a little servant girl lived a life faithful to God and was willing to speak up when the opportunity showed itself.

Do people look at our lives and see that we are different?  Do they see that we don’t follow after the things of this world? Do we speak about what Christ did for us when the opportunity presents itself?  The power of life and death are in how we live our lives and if we share the Good News of the Gospel when we have the opportunity.

Have a great day and God bless.