Telling Others

A couple of verses in 2 Kings caught my attention last night. They're in different passages, but both relate to telling others about what we know, the goodnews we have.

Scene 1: A young Israelite girl is taken captive by the Aramean army, and she ends up working in the house of Naaman, the commander of the army of the King of Aram. All seems to be going well for Naaman; he is highly honoured; apart from one thing. Naaman has leprosy. And despite her youthfulness, and being away in a foreign country as a slave, the little servant girl tells her mastr how he could be cleansed: 'If only my master would see the prohpet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.' (2 Kings 5:2).

Scene 2. Samaria is being besieged by the Aramean army. Conditions are very bad in the city, so that a donkey's head was selling for 80 shekels of silver! Four lepers are lying at the city gate, considering their options. If they go into the city, they'll die of the famine and disease inside. If they stay where they are, they'll die of hunger. But if they go to the Aramean camp and surrender, there's a possibility they could live, or else they could be killed. So, of the three options, they take the one with the only chance of staying alive, and walk towards the camp. But when they get there, there's no one about... it's like a ghost town - all the equipment, tents and animals are there, but no people. [God had made the Arameans hear an advancing army, and they got frightened and ran away]. Suddenly, the lepers realise they are saved! There is food aplenty here in the camp, so they go and hide some of the silver, and clothes etc.

But then they come to their senses: 'Then they said to each other, "We're not doing right. This is a day of good news, and we are keeping it to ourselves."' (2 Kings 7:9) So they went into the city and told them about the fleeing army, and the abundance of food available to relieve the famine.

Similarly, we who are Christians have good news - in fact, the best news - and have the task of sharing it with others; telling them what God has done in our life, and how he can do the same for those around us. Yet, a lot of times, we can be like the lepers before they came to their senses - rejoicing in the good news, but not sharing it. God have mercy on us!

Instead, we need to realise that it is our task to share the good news, to tell others, and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus. Perhaps the Israelite servant girl is a good example for us - she told what she knew that could help those around her.

Are you telling others? In this day of good news, are you keeping it to yourself?