She was one of those girls who was neither ugly nor outstanding.
In the big city where she lived, a girl of her characteristics was not too difficult to find.
Her house was just as common. You would've missed the small alley had you walked a little bit faster. And once you walk into that small alley, you would have difficulty in recognising one house from the other.
But for her family, a roof was all they could ask for. Ever since they migrated to this city, they were only counting on her income to keep them alive from day to day.
She had not been too successful in her job as well.
The high flyers in her profession dealt with important clients, enjoyed luxury living and stayed at one of those posh houses downtown.
Luck came to her once in a blue moon. Luxury was something she couldn't afford to dream of. All she wanted was a stable income to feed her family.
So to have two wanted men hidden in her house was not exactly what she had prayed for when she asked for blessing.
And even worse.. the soldiers were on their way to her house.
Now she had choices to make.
To surrender the two men, get the reward and get her name printed on the city newspaper's frontpage, or....
You may call her crazy, you may call her opportunist.
But she took the unthinkable path.
While watching her small family gathered at one corner of the house, trembling in fear, she walked calmly towards the door.
The door was opened, the soldiers were demanding.
But with few convincing sentences, she drove the chasers away with misleading information.
For a woman of her profession, you would expect her to be good at lying (to men, especially).
But who would have thought that she was also remarkable in her faith?
Does the job even requires 'faith'?
It was a crazy act from a prostitute who was probably not good enough to be counted amongst the elite prostitutes in her city.
But there was such a great faith behind her act that the heaven paused for a moment and took note.
I imagine God, for that very moment, without the slightest hesitation sealed the word 'righteous' on her. He would give that affirming nod and make a mental note, "this woman shall be remembered as long as My Words remain"
Before that fateful day, no one but her few clients would have known her or her little house by the gate of the city. She was just one of the so many commoners who had little hope for the future.
Who would have thought that her house would be the only one that was left standing and untouched when the Israelites crushed Jericho?
Who would have thought that her crazy act would save her family and gave her not only a future but God's acknowledgement.
Thousands of year after her death, her name would be mentioned among the saints of the old testament days. She would be counted among the heroes and heroines of faith by Paul. (Hebrew 11:21)
And I imagine that God was simply too impressed by her faith that He thought of mentioning her one more time thru James when the guy talked about faith (James 2:25).
A gentile,
a prostitute,
and yet..
a giant of faith.
Her name is..
In the big city where she lived, a girl of her characteristics was not too difficult to find.
Her house was just as common. You would've missed the small alley had you walked a little bit faster. And once you walk into that small alley, you would have difficulty in recognising one house from the other.
But for her family, a roof was all they could ask for. Ever since they migrated to this city, they were only counting on her income to keep them alive from day to day.
She had not been too successful in her job as well.
The high flyers in her profession dealt with important clients, enjoyed luxury living and stayed at one of those posh houses downtown.
Luck came to her once in a blue moon. Luxury was something she couldn't afford to dream of. All she wanted was a stable income to feed her family.
So to have two wanted men hidden in her house was not exactly what she had prayed for when she asked for blessing.
And even worse.. the soldiers were on their way to her house.
Now she had choices to make.
To surrender the two men, get the reward and get her name printed on the city newspaper's frontpage, or....
You may call her crazy, you may call her opportunist.
But she took the unthinkable path.
While watching her small family gathered at one corner of the house, trembling in fear, she walked calmly towards the door.
The door was opened, the soldiers were demanding.
But with few convincing sentences, she drove the chasers away with misleading information.
For a woman of her profession, you would expect her to be good at lying (to men, especially).
But who would have thought that she was also remarkable in her faith?
Does the job even requires 'faith'?
It was a crazy act from a prostitute who was probably not good enough to be counted amongst the elite prostitutes in her city.
But there was such a great faith behind her act that the heaven paused for a moment and took note.
I imagine God, for that very moment, without the slightest hesitation sealed the word 'righteous' on her. He would give that affirming nod and make a mental note, "this woman shall be remembered as long as My Words remain"
Before that fateful day, no one but her few clients would have known her or her little house by the gate of the city. She was just one of the so many commoners who had little hope for the future.
Who would have thought that her house would be the only one that was left standing and untouched when the Israelites crushed Jericho?
Who would have thought that her crazy act would save her family and gave her not only a future but God's acknowledgement.
Thousands of year after her death, her name would be mentioned among the saints of the old testament days. She would be counted among the heroes and heroines of faith by Paul. (Hebrew 11:21)
And I imagine that God was simply too impressed by her faith that He thought of mentioning her one more time thru James when the guy talked about faith (James 2:25).
A gentile,
a prostitute,
and yet..
a giant of faith.
Her name is..
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