2 Kings 5:1-15; 21st Sunday after Pentecost C, October
13, 2013
Grace and
peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, Amen.
The story
of Naaman is an odd one. He is a foreign commander, known for raiding the
Israelites, yet he goes into Israel to be healed of his terrible skin disease.
Every step of the way, Naaman thinks he knows what is going to happen. Each
time, he is surprised by what actually happens. God is revealed in the mundane
waters of the Jordan and in the lowly servants. Listen again to Naaman’s story.
Naaman was
an important person in the country of Aram, which in modern day is Syria. He is
the commander of the royal army, a mighty warrior high ranking and in his
lord’s high favor. His uniform is covered in medals and ribbons because he wins
many battles and takes many prisoners. He is a great man, honorable and proud.
Yet,
despite all of his achievements and his high regard, he suffers from leprosy, a
disfiguring skin disease. His face is pocked and pitted with sores. His skin
all over his body is ugly, sore, and uncomfortable. The social stigma of
leprosy is just as bad as his lesions.
One of the
prisoners of war that Naaman captured from Israel is a young Jewish girl. She is
smart and quick-witted and wins favor in Aram. The king of Aram sets her as
servant for Naaman’s wife. This servant girl learns to like Naaman and his wife,
even though they worship different gods. She is kind to her masters and
privately worships the God of Israel.
Seeing how
much Naaman’s leprosy holds him back from his life in Aram, she tells her
mistress about a wonderful prophet in her home country. This man named Elisha
miraculously heals many whom he encounters. She describes how with a simple
prayer he cleaned a spring of water. Elisha also helped an old woman to
conceive a son. Then, a few years later when that son died, Elisha raised him
from the dead. Through his many miracles, Elisha fed the hungry and helped the
widows and orphans.
The slave
girl says that Elisha can be found in Samaria, the capital city of Israel.
Naaman is persuaded. He approaches his king and asks to see this amazing
prophet. Because the king thinks so highly of the commander of his army, he writes
a letter to the King of Israel, asking for permission for Naaman to see this
prophet, Elisha. Considering that Naaman and his army plundered part of Israel,
this is an off-putting request.
Naaman takes
the letter with him as he travels to Israel. He brings with him much gold,
silver, and expensive clothing as gifts; and he had a number of servants and
chariots riding with him. Now he approaches the king of Israel and presents the
letter from his own king.
After
reading the letter, the king of Israel is understandably upset. Why should he
grant this after all that has transpired? Some of his people are forced to be
slaves in another land, and the raids leave others to suffer in hunger. He is
angry at being thrust into this situation, but he also feels socially obligated
to accept Naaman’s wishes. The last thing that the king wants is to stir Aram
to attack Israel again.
After
hearing of this, Elisha sends word to the king to allow Naaman to see him – for
evangelism’s sake. Elisha sees this as an opportunity to show this bold, proud foreign
man who really is God. The king allows it.
So, Naaman
goes to Elisha’s house with his whole company in tow, horses and chariots and
all. This must have been quite the sight going through the center of the city
of his enemy. When they arrive, Elisha is inside. He does not invite them in or
even come out to greet Naaman and his traveling party. Instead, he sends a
servant of his household to share the message: Go to the Jordan River, wash in
it seven times, and then you will be fully healed.
After all
of his effort, Naaman feels shunned by Elisha. This is not what Naaman wants to
hear. After all that he had heard about Elisha, he expected a big show with
flashing lights and grand effects. When he was riding over to Elisha’s house,
Naaman dreamed that Elisha would come right out to him, shout loudly to the
Lord to heal him, and then use his “magic hands” to wave over his body and cure
him on the spot. What he got was quite a let down after the spectacle that he
had imagined.
Also,
Naaman wonders, why the Jordan River? Why such a small, muddy, pathetic river
when the rivers running through his country are large, clean, and impressive?
Naaman leaves Elisha’s house in a rage. He is disappointed, resentful, and
embarrassed. He is so offended by what transpired that he wants to go back to
his country.
Naaman’s company
follows him away from Elisha’s house. A few brave servants approach and try to
reason with him. They say, “Consider this: if this prophet had told you to do
something difficult to cure your disease, wouldn’t you have done it? Isn’t it
special that Elisha’s messenger simply commanded you to wash and be clean? Sure,
this is not what you expected. Yet why not do what he asks? What do you have to
lose?”
Persuaded,
Naaman decides that it is at least worth a try. He brings his company to the
Jordan River. As he was told, he steps into the river. Standing waist deep in
the water, he bends his knees and leans back until his entire body is submerged
in the water. Then he rises again. Seven times, he immerses himself in the
water.
This time
in the water did exactly as Elisha said it would. When Naaman rises the seventh
time out of the waters of the Jordan River, he is completely healed of his
terrible skin disease. His skin is good as new, cleared of sores and soft as a
baby’s bottom.
Amazed,
astounded, and overflowing with gratitude, Naaman and his company return to
Elisha’s house. Newly humbled, Naaman speaks to Elisha, “Now I know that your
God in Israel is the only god in all the world.”
In this lesson,
we see God working through ordinary people and ordinary experiences. Like
Naaman, we often expect God to be revealed to us in flashes of thunder and
grand experiences. More often than not, God is actually revealed in the
simplest people around us. God worked through two servants, first when Naaman’s
wife’s servant suggested that they go to Israel and second when Naaman’s own
servant encouraged him to wash in the river. These people did not need to act
at all, yet they showed Naaman how to trust God. These lowly servants showed Naaman that God could be found
in a simple, mundane washing in a dirty river.
Naaman
isn’t an example of strong faith. When he washed in the Jordan, he didn’t
believe that God could heal him. He only went to the river because his servant
encouraged him to. Afterward, Naaman saw God in the washing, and he worshipped
God. From that day forward, Naaman only worshipped the God of Israel, the one
true God whom we worship today.
After all
we have seen and heard in this story, I wonder: When have you seen God in
unexpected people and places?
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