“Little One—a Maid of Israel”

This is a composition I wrote discussing some of the character traits that Little One had in spite of being taken from her home inspired by the book, Little One, Maid of Israel by Bill Harvey . (Little One, Maid of Israel is a fictionalized account of the story of the healing of Naaman the leper and the girl who helped save a family.)

          We don’t know much about her. In fact the Bible doesn’t even mention what her name was. But she must have been a gallant young maid of Israel; kind, good and compassionate in every way. And in this story we come to meet her as she might have been. Little One portrayed a girl of inner beauty, through her simple but sincere faith in the LORD God of Israel.

          Little One was a diligent and cheerful girl. Her father had died; her brother was fighting in the king’s army against the Syrians with whom Samaria was at war. All she had was Mother Leah and Grandfather Rueben, but she had faith in the power of Jehovah and His love. In Samaria, where she lived with her mother and grandfather, Little One never complained of all the work that she had to do on the little farm. Oh, of course she had to fill those heavy water jars by going several times a day to the well, and do so many chores around the farm, but she was cheerful as ever.  Her favourite time of the day was when Grandfather Rueben would tell her stories of how God delivered the people out of bondage from Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land. She loved to hear him tell her of Moses and Joshua and the Laws which God had ordained for them to keep.

          But then one day, the Syrian soldiers came to their farm. Her mother, who had gone to a neighbouring farm had been accidentally run down by one of their men and had died. Her grandfather had fallen ill upon hearing the news, and had died soon after taking to his bed. However, he got Little One to solemnly promise to serve God all her life before he died. Little One was now left alone, but her faith and trust in God remained strong, even when the petrol Commander, Kurd, took her to Damascus to serve in the household of Naaman. She had no bad feelings for the Syrians who had killed her mother, and forgave them. Even in a foreign land, Little One was a blessing to those around her, especially to Mahrrah, the wife of Naaman. When she is reunited with her embittered brother who had become a slave in Mahrrah’s house, Little One’s influence helps her brother overcome his hate for the Syrians and uncover a plot against King Benhadad’s life.

          That little maid from Israel served Naaman’s wife faithfully, and brought joy into his household through her cheerfulness and love. She sung the little children songs of Israel and told them about her God, the one true God. The children loved Little One. She always made them happy and Mahrrah couldn’t remember how life was before the young Israelite maid had come into their lives.  However, nothing Little One did could ever make her mistress truly happy. You see, Naaman, the Captain of the host of King Benhadad of Syria, was a leper. Nothing could make him better and that made Mahrrah sad. Little One saw her mistress weep, and her little heart flowing with care and compassion couldn’t keep silent when she believed with all her being that there was healing for her mistress’ husband. “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria!” Little One told her mistress, “For he would recover him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went, and indeed was healed of his leprosy after having dipped in the river Jordan seven times as the Prophet Elisha directed. Little One brought happiness and joy to her master and mistress through her faith in God and her compassion. Her testimony shook two nations who might have gone to war over the matter had not the prophet of God intervened. This is a story of a girl who despite being exiled from home, and forced to serve foreigners who didn’t worship the Living God, refused to dwell in bitterness or resentment but served Him even in Syria and lived as a blessing to others as well.

This is a composition I wrote after reading the story of "Little One, Maid of Israel" by Bill Harvey about the story of the maid who told Naaman's wife about Elisha at school. It is a fictional story, but I found it so encouraging, and a very nice story as well revealing the love of God, and the beauty of a maiden who had a cheerful spirit even in exile.