Elisha had a ton of reasons not to go to bat for N aaman. ( 1) N aaman was a high-powered official in an enemy army (2 Kings 5:1). (2) He suffered from leprosy, a highly contagious "don't touch me" skin disease (5:1). (3) Naaman captured a young girl from Israel and made her his wife (5:2). (4) The king oflsrael thought Naaman and his troupe were trying to get a fight started (5:7). (5) Naaman got bent out of shape when Elisha tried to help him (5:11). (6) He went away in a rage because Elisha did not simply wave a hand and cure him (5: 12). (7) By listing all the good rivers "back home" Naaman challenged Elisha's invitation to go to the Jordan River (5:12). The score is Naaman's Ego 7, Elisha's Ability to Help 0.
Naaman did not trust Elisha, but he did trust his own servants, so when they pointed out the benefits of washing in the Jordan (5:13), he did so. And he was healed. When he realized that his leprosy was gone, Naaman began to praise God and became a believer in the Lord (5: 15). Naaman asks for forgiveness (5:18).
Elisha did not let Naaman's attitude deflect Elisha from his prophetic role. In fact, he said, "Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel." (2 Kings 5:8). I am left with the question: What do others learn about God when they see how I act?
Uh, oh! It is one thing to enjoy the strong life of Elisha and to value his steady care for a non-believer. It is quite another thing to recognize that the same challenge is put to me: How do I relate to people who are hostile or casual about the faith?
The truth is that most of my contacts and relationships are with folks from within the faith family. When I look around the sanctuary on Sunday morning, who is present and who is absent? Who feels welcomed? Who feels left out? Who is "the Naaman" in my community and how would he or she be treated in my contact?
Even within the faith community, there are those who come as a
N aaman. Because of language, sexual orientation, gender, political views-you name it-they come as a difference, even as an outsider. How can the Church be an Elisha to them?
What Someone Else Has Said:
In Inspired (Thomas Nelson), Rachel Held Evans wrote: "Often I hear from readers who left their churches because they had no songs for them to sing after the miscarriage, the shooting, the earthquake, the divorce, the diagnosis, the attack, the bankruptcy."
Prayer:
As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: "Help me help when it is not good ... "
