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The
Healing of Naaman
This
is such an interesting story from the point of view of what it can teach us.
Naaman had a debilitating skin disease which in Biblical times carried with it social shame and isolation. The term translated as leprosy was used in those days to describe a number of skin ailments. These are not the same as Hansen’s disease which is called leprosy in modern times. So Naaman the man of status and wealth finds himself confronted by the realisation that life and death; illness and tragedy are no respecters of status or wealth. This realisation takes him on a most unpredictable journey of faith. Naaman’s wife had a young servant girl who had been captured from Israel. She had no status or power, yet when she sees Naaman’s suffering she is filled with compassionate concern for him and offers him a solution to his problem. “If only Naaman were with the prophet in Samaria he would cure him of his illness.” God uses this young foreigner to show Naaman the solution to his health problem. We worship a God of surprises who uses surprising people for the outworking of his plans. I find myself filled with admiration at the courageous audacity of the girl as she acts on her faith in God and his prophet, Elisha. Naaman, desperate for healing, takes seriously her words and so he makes the long and dangerous journey to Samaria and visits the king of Israel. I find myself filled with admiration for Naaman as he swallows his pride and takes this risky step of faith in a God he does not even yet know. When he gets to Israel he visits the king who is confounded by Naaman’s request for healing . He knows that he does not have the spiritual gift of healing and is filled with panic. His distress is demonstrated as he tears his clothes (a common way of showing fear or grief in ancient times). I smile wryly at the king’s response perhaps because I can relate to his insecurity about whether God would be prepared to work a healing miracle through him. He feels inadequate and doubts that God will use him. Word gets out that the king is distressed and travels fast to the prophet Elisha who confidently trusts that God will work a miracle through him and so directs the king to send Naaman to him. I am filled with admiration for Elisha’s courage to trust God’s promise to work great wonders of love and healing through anyone who calls on His name. Now an interesting thing happens when Naaman arrives. Elisha does not come out to greet him. Naaman interprets this as rudeness on the part of Elisha and is outraged because his self importance tells him that Elisha should not be treating him in this way. The old pride things creeps in. Does Elisha know who I am? I feel shame as I think of the times that I have been too proud to eat humble pie when I have needed help. Though Naaman feels humiliated, his servants persuade him to swallow his pride and to do as Elisha says. Again we note that it is those without power and status who offer wise counsel and encourage faith and obedience to God. So Naaman washes in the Jordan and is healed. His obedience is rewarded as his health and life are restored. The story continues and in the remainder of the chapter we learn that this outcome leads Naaman to accept the truth of Elisha’s words and to affirm his belief in the one true God. So what might we learn from the story?
May today’s scripture and your own experience be an encouragement to us all as we pray for each other,
Amen. |
