Was Naaman’s Servant Girl a Victim of Stockholm Syndrome?

This week I have been digesting the story of the healing of Naaman from 2 Kings 5. I have gotten stuck at verses 2-3 pondering the servant girl who suggested to Naaman’s wife that he could be cured if he saw the prophet in Samaria (Elisha). She was captured in a military raid and forced into slavery to serve the military leader of the army that had captured her. We’re not told her age, but the story seems to suggest she was young enough not to be considered a grown, adult woman. Still, I think the story suggests that she was old enough to know about and appreciate the Prophet Elisha.

From our modern perspective, we readily recognize the brutal injustice of this practice, especially involving a child. We might also ascribe her sympathy for Naaman’s suffering with disease (the umbrella label of leprosy) to the Stockholm Syndrome, but the text seems to suggest she had an authentic compassion for her captors and masters. Also, the text presents her as an example of faith, recognizing that God worked through the Prophet Elisha. This is all the more remarkable since this seems to come during the reign of Ahab’s son Joram who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord," (3:2) and who seems less aware of Elisha than the captive servant girl (5:7).

This is another example of the theme that runs through Scripture of God at work through seemingly insignificant, powerless people. It also illustrates the power of loving enemies, which Jesus built on solid Old Testament foundations. I find a powerful lesson here for how we people who faith who aspire to faithfully follow Jesus can and should respond in the contentious social and political environment of our time. I think is speaks to how we should speak about those with whom we have political, and yes, theological disagreement. I think it speaks powerfully to how we can advocate for racial reconciliation at a time of increasing tensions. I think it teaches us how to respond to people that we consider to be threatening outsiders from Latin American and Middle Eastern immigrants and refugees, and yes, how we express the love of Jesus to Muslims and all others who do not acknowledge Jesus as Lord.