EXTRACT

Thank God, Naaman had wise men in his retinue of servants, and he doubtless did thank God many times afterwards that he had such good servants. They treated him respectfully, but they were truly evangelical

in spirit. They wanted to save their master, and that is a word for every Christian. You want to save a man, and in order to save, it is well worth humbling yourself.

I remember hearing of a man who got converted by a little tract that was handed to him.

Speaking of his conversion afterwards to the person who gave him the tract, he said, ‘It was not exactly the reading of the tract that helped me, but I was affected by the great exercise I noticed in your spirit when you gave the tract to me. I saw that you were genuinely affected on my account and it was your exercise that led to my blessing’. I mention this so that we all may be more concerned about the need around us, and seek to meet it.

The incident shows what God does when people see you are in earnest, you are concerned about them, and it is not natural with you, but against your will. As the apostle Paul said, “If against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me”, 1 Corinthians 9: 17. It was against his will. He did not like it naturally, for he was proud. Yet as an evangelist, no one was more used than Paul. Think how he reasoned with big people, such as the Roman governor, Felix, and king Agrippa! What courage he had! It was God who helped him to speak to them.

J. Taylor (Vol. 13, p.149)

Erratum: Issue No. 239. October 1992, page 1, para 2, line 1—‘Pharaoh’s’ should read ‘Potiphar’s’.

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