Great Exploits! — Serving in Obscurity By Bishop Whitter

Summer 2026 ISSUE | 6 minute read

Great Exploits! — Serving in Obscurity

We don’t know her name—only that she was a young servant girl. She lived in the shadows of someone else’s story, serving in the household of Naaman’s wife in II Kings 5. She held no title, commanded no audience, and possessed no visible influence. By every natural measure, she was insignificant—a captive, a slave, a “nobody.” Yet God chose her to become a catalyst for one of the most remarkable miracles recorded in Scripture.

Naaman, by contrast, was a man of great stature. He was the commander of the Syrian army, a decorated hero, a man of influence and authority. But beneath the armor and accolades was a devastating reality—he was afflicted with leprosy. In the Old Testament world, leprosy was more than a disease; it was a sentence. It meant isolation, deterioration, and ultimately death. No physician could cure it. No power could command it away. Yet into this impossible situation, God inserted a nameless girl.

How does that happen? How does someone so overlooked become so essential?

Faithful While Unknown

In II Kings 5:3, we hear her voice—simple, compassionate, and full of faith: “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” That’s it. No sermon. No platform. Just a statement of belief.

She could have stayed silent. After all, she owed Naaman nothing. He was part of the system that had taken her captive. Bitterness would have been understandable. Indifference would have been easy. But instead, she chose compassion. Instead of withholding hope, she offered it. Instead of retreating into obscurity, she stepped into purpose.

She shared what she knew.

We are not told how she came to know about Elisha. Perhaps she had witnessed his ministry firsthand. Perhaps she had simply heard stories of God’s power at work. Whatever the source, she believed it. And more importantly, she acted on it. She didn’t wait for recognition or validation. She didn’t question whether her voice mattered. She simply pointed a desperate man toward the only true answer.

And that was enough.

Naaman followed her words, sought out the prophet, obeyed the instruction given, and was miraculously healed. A life was changed. A testimony was born. And it all traces back to a nameless servant girl who refused to stay silent.

Qualified, Though Unqualified

If we’re honest, many of us would hesitate in her place. We would question our worth, our authority, our credibility. “Who am I to speak?” “What do I really know?” “Surely someone more qualified should step in.”

But God has never been limited by human qualifications. In fact, He often bypasses the obvious choices to use the overlooked, the underestimated, and the unknown. He is not searching for perfection—He is searching for willingness.

This young girl had no formal training, no recognized position, and no platform. But she had something far more valuable: faith and availability. She was willing to be used, and that made her useful.

Her story reminds us that significance in the Kingdom of God is not determined by visibility. You don’t need a stage to make an impact. You don’t need credentials to be effective. You don’t need recognition to be relevant. What you need is a heart that is open to God and attentive to the needs around you.

We may never know her name, but heaven recorded her obedience. Her quiet act of faith became a turning point in someone else’s life. That is the essence of “great exploits”—not always grand, but always God-directed.

Your Moment Awaits

Perhaps you feel like that servant girl—unseen, unrecognized, serving faithfully in the background. Your role may seem small. Your influence may feel limited. But don’t underestimate what God can do through a willing vessel.

There are people in your world facing their own impossible situations—quiet crises, hidden struggles, unanswered questions. And sometimes, all it takes is a simple word, a moment of courage, or a step of faith to point them toward hope.

What “great exploits” might be waiting on your obedience?

Scripture declares, “the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32b KJV). That promise is not reserved for the famous or the powerful—it belongs to those who know Him and are willing to act.

So rise up, even in obscurity. Speak, even when your voice feels small. Serve, even when no one is watching. Because in the hands of God, the unnoticed become unforgettable, and the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

Come on, Virginia—our world is in desperate need of a move of God. Let’s do our humble part to see it happen. 

Bishop Rick Whitter
State Administrative Bishop
Virginia Church of God State Office