WISDOM IN UNEXPECTED PLACES
Opening Prayer
My God, give me the willingness to listen to You and to act on what You are saying.
Read 2 Kings 5:1–14
Naaman Healed of Leprosy
5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a]
2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
Footnotes:
a 2 Kings 5:1 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 3, 6, 7, 11 and 27.
b 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms
c 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Whose advice do you trust? Who do you expect God to use to speak to you?Naaman’s story reminds us that God’s grace to us may come through suffering and through unexpected sources. God may speak through people whom we consider insignificant and unimportant. Naaman’s first step to healing depended on his willingness to act on the advice of a slave girl abducted by his own forces (3). He had not cared for her welfare, but she cared for his. Because she chose to love her enemy, she became the channel of blessing and healing for him!
The healing and wholeness we long for comes on God’s terms, not ours. Naaman’s reaction is all too familiar (11). Don’t we get riled if we are not given the respect or attention we think we deserve? Don’t we also find it difficult to obey God because we expect God to work in a certain way (11,12)? Naaman was in danger of missing out on God’s blessing because of injured pride and fear of what others would think of him. Thankfully, the people who knew Naaman best—his servants—were brave enough to speak the truth (13). Are we ready to hear God speak through the people who know us well—family, friends, colleagues, employees? Are we ready to speak God’s truth to those in authority over us?
Apply
Has God asked you to do something that you find distasteful or difficult? What if you are missing out on God’s blessing because you won’t obey? Take the step today and walk in obedience.
Closing prayer
Father, I want to walk in obedience to You. I am ready to listen when You speak to me.
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