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If I told you that an Iraqi refugee janitor would change the life of the CEO of your company you’d laugh.
And yet that’s exactly what happened in II Kings 5.
It’s the story of a young Jewish servant girl taken prisoner by the Syrians.
We don’t know anything about the girl or her family. All we know is that she’s a slave, taken captive by the enemy. I imagine she’s lonely, afraid, given to despair, hopeless of ever going back home.
How much of an influence could she be? What difference could she make?
A lot, it turns out.
In II Kings 5:3 this young insignificant girl changes the life of her boss, Naaman, who was a great man, but a leper. She does it quietly. She does it humbly. She does it selflessly. And we never hear about the servant girl again.
But we are inspired.
How can a seemingly insignificant person in such a low position make a lasting impression of epic proportion?
I want to share 6 lessons from the servant girl on how you can maximize your influence in your workplace.
1. Back it up with your work. I cannot tell you how many Christians with poor work ethic I have met. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am every time I find out the lazy guy is a follower of Jesus Christ. You want to make a difference at work? Start by working hard. Use your actions not your words to impress.
2. Find your greatest point of influence. When the servant girl wanted to make a difference, she approached her mistress, Naaman’s wife, and not Naaman. There’s wisdom in her approach. While you may think the CEO of your company needs to hear from you directly, think again. Your greatest point of influence may very well be the manager of your division. Think wisely before making a move.
3. Speak with discretion. I can imagine how afraid the servant girl may have been to speak to her mistress about Naaman’s condition. She says “would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy”. You can almost hear her whisper. You can almost feel the deference in her voice. Do you speak discreetly?
4. Don’t be afraid of the elephant in the room. I bet no one wanted to touch the elephant in that household: Naaman’s leprosy. I find that the biggest problems in the workplace, are the ones no one wants to touch. Don’t be afraid of addressing problems directly. But remember the points I’ve already shared, and make sure you’re not discussing the elephant the room with everyone but the owner of the elephant!
5. Care more about others than about yourself. The servant girl is the epitome of selflessness. She does not focus on her own miserable condition, but selflessly looks out for the needs of her boss. If I’m honest with myself, the truth is that no matter how much I like my boss, I’m usually more concerned about me, myself, and I. The only way to make an impact at work is to start reversing the order of priorities.
6. Don’t look for a reward. The servant girl saves the day then disappears into oblivion – or at the very least Biblical oblivion. We never hear about her again. Did Naaman thank her? Did he reward her, or free her, or allow her to find her parents? We will never find out this side of heaven. How God like to leave us hanging on this issue of rewards – another reminder that we are to be faithful, and not merely successful in order to make a difference in our workplace.
I don’t know about you, but I want to make a big difference in my workplace.
How about starting right now?
