Behind the Scenes

Often the most profound and far-reaching spiritual opportunities are those that happen “behind the scenes.” What’s more, the person who appears to be the main figure in a given situation isn’t always the person God chooses to work through.

One example of this can be found in the book of Nehemiah. King Artaxerxes was obviously the most powerful man in the Persian Empire, ruling over Babylon and much of the Middle East. His word was law. Nehemiah, in contrast, served as the king’s cupbearer. Though his position was several steps down from the ruler of the kingdom, Nehemiah served a vital function—one that kept him always near Artaxerxes. A cupbearer’s job was to taste a drink before the king did to make sure it hadn’t been poisoned. If a drink was poisonous, then that was the end of the cupbearer’s job—and the end of his life for that matter. But the cupbearer did more than sip beverages. Because he spent so much time around the king, he often would become an advisor to the monarch, someone who exerted influence on him. Cupbearer was a very prestigious position in the palace. A cupbearer lived in affluence and influence.

But Nehemiah had another allegiance. He was, after all, an exiled Jew—one who felt passionately about his abandoned homeland. He knew that the walls of Jerusalem had been burned down and were lying in rubble—and that something needed to be done. So, he leveraged his position, at great risk to himself. He asked the king to allow him to return to Jerusalem with a group of fellow exiles to rebuild the walls. He could have lost his life by asking such a thing. But he saw a spiritual opportunity to work behind the scenes to accomplish something meaningful.

Another example can be found in 2 Kings 5. A young Jewish girl, whose name is never mentioned, said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy” (verse 3 NLT). Her master was Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army—one of the towering figures of his day. The young girl was a maid who served Naaman’s wife. She, too, saw a spiritual opportunity to work behind the scenes and seized it. Her subtle suggestion prompted Naaman to seek out the Israelite prophet Elisha. Naaman made the journey to Israel and was healed of his leprosy.

These stories serve as reminders that God can and does use anyone to accomplish His purposes. And though the names of the people He uses may be lost to history, they are never lost to Him. He will faithfully reward all who make themselves available to Him.

Reflection question: How can you make yourself available to God? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!

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