A Little Friend Helped Naaman
2 Kings 5:1-14
Our story comes from the Bible. It is found in the book, or part, of the Bible called “Second Kings” (2 Kings). It is the second book in the Bible that tells about the kings of Israel and Judah.
The Bible tells us about a little girl who lived long ago. She was from Israel. The girl was a servant for a man named Naaman and his wife. A servant is someone who works for a person.
Naaman was a very important man. He worked for the king of Aram. Naaman was in charge of the soldiers in the king's army.
But Naaman was not very happy. That's because he had a sickness called leprosy. His skin was covered with big white spots and sores. Sores are something like owies.
The little girl saw that Naaman and his wife were sad. She wanted to help them, but she didn't know what to do. Then one day, God helped the little girl have a good idea.
The girl said to Naaman's wife, "I know a man named Elisha who loves God. He lives in Israel. If Naaman will go to Elisha, I know Elisha can help him be well again!'
Naaman's wife thought this was a good idea. Right away she told her husband what the little girl had said.
Naaman traveled from Aram to Israel. Naaman traveled a long way to find Elisha's house in Samaria.
When Naaman came to Elisha's house, Elisha sent a man out to tell Naaman what to do.
The servant said, "Naaman, go to the Jordan River. Take a bath seven times, and the sores on your skin will go away."
Naaman left Elisha's house. He was very angry. Naaman said, "I thought Elisha would come out to me, pray to his God, and wave his hand over my spots and sores. Couldn't I have washed in a river at home and be cured?"
But Naaman walked into the water anyway. He washed all over one time. Naaman looked at his skin. The spots and sores were still there.
He washed all over two times, three times, four times.
Naaman washed five times, six times.
He washed seven times. He looked. His sores were gone! How happy he was! How happy the little girl was! She was glad she could be a good friend to Naaman. Children can be good friends.
Bible Paraphrase: A friend loves at all times. (A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. – Proverbs 17:17 NIV)
Text Truth: Children can be good friends.
As we read 2 Kings 5:1-14, we find a maidservant able to be a friend to her master. This was not a natural place for a friendship to form. The girl and her master were separated by many barriers—age, status, position, religion. However, the girl didn't let these things get in the way. She did what children do naturally. She cared enough about someone else to get involved.
She also believed that her master, Naaman, could be healed.
Adult-child friendships may be rare but when they do happen, they are meaningful to both adult and child. It may be time to accept friendship from your preschoolers. Children can be good friends and often have much to teach us about friendship.
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The illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported license. www.freebibleimages.org
Our story comes from the Bible. It is found in the book, or part, of the Bible called “Second Kings” (2 Kings). It is the second book in the Bible that tells about the kings of Israel and Judah.
The Bible tells us about a little girl who lived long ago. She was from Israel. The girl was a servant for a man named Naaman and his wife. A servant is someone who works for a person.
But Naaman was not very happy. That's because he had a sickness called leprosy. His skin was covered with big white spots and sores. Sores are something like owies.
The little girl saw that Naaman and his wife were sad. She wanted to help them, but she didn't know what to do. Then one day, God helped the little girl have a good idea.
The girl said to Naaman's wife, "I know a man named Elisha who loves God. He lives in Israel. If Naaman will go to Elisha, I know Elisha can help him be well again!'
Naaman's wife thought this was a good idea. Right away she told her husband what the little girl had said.
Naaman traveled from Aram to Israel. Naaman traveled a long way to find Elisha's house in Samaria.
When Naaman came to Elisha's house, Elisha sent a man out to tell Naaman what to do.
The servant said, "Naaman, go to the Jordan River. Take a bath seven times, and the sores on your skin will go away."
Naaman left Elisha's house. He was very angry. Naaman said, "I thought Elisha would come out to me, pray to his God, and wave his hand over my spots and sores. Couldn't I have washed in a river at home and be cured?"
But Naaman walked into the water anyway. He washed all over one time. Naaman looked at his skin. The spots and sores were still there.
He washed all over two times, three times, four times.
Naaman washed five times, six times.
He washed seven times. He looked. His sores were gone! How happy he was! How happy the little girl was! She was glad she could be a good friend to Naaman. Children can be good friends.
Bible Paraphrase: A friend loves at all times. (A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. – Proverbs 17:17 NIV)
Text Truth: Children can be good friends.
Family Devotional
Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” — 2 Kings 5:2
As we read 2 Kings 5:1-14, we find a maidservant able to be a friend to her master. This was not a natural place for a friendship to form. The girl and her master were separated by many barriers—age, status, position, religion. However, the girl didn't let these things get in the way. She did what children do naturally. She cared enough about someone else to get involved.
She also believed that her master, Naaman, could be healed.
Adult-child friendships may be rare but when they do happen, they are meaningful to both adult and child. It may be time to accept friendship from your preschoolers. Children can be good friends and often have much to teach us about friendship.
Activities You Can Do at Home
Bible Rhyme
The Bible paraphrase is in the third line of the rhyme. Teach the words and actions a line at a time. Have your child repeat each line back to you.
One friend and one friend,
(Hold up one finger on each hand.)
Together they know
(Hold fingers together.)
A friend loves at all times,
(Hug yourself.)
For God made them so.
(Reach arms up.)
Reflections on Friendship
As you tuck your child in bed, talk about the day. Compliment your child on ways she has been a good friend to others.
Be a Friend
You might take your child to visit an elderly church member. Your child can take along a My Sunday Pictures card to show, or take a favorite toy. Just talking awhile with one or two people will brighten everyone's day. After, talk about your experience and how much fun it is to just be a good friend.
Stories of Friendship
Read stories where children are good friends. Talk about how preschool age children can be good friends. Tell a Story about when a child was a good friend to you.
Act Out the Bible Story
You’ll Need: plastic people, container of water
Use plastic people and a container of water to act out Naaman's story. Have the little girl and Naaman's wife talk. Then Naaman and Elisha can talk together. Have your child dip Naaman in the container of water seven times.
Thank God for Friendship
Pray for the people you visited through the Helping Hands activity. Thank God for helping us to be good friends, just as Naaman's little friend was.
The illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported license. www.freebibleimages.org
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