I would like to share a true story about a very powerful and a very influential man. He was a good man who led the army of Syria. He was well respected and loved even by his servants. The king of Syria also very much respected him. The list of his accomplishments and victories over his enemies would impress even the most sceptical. A beautiful home, a respected position, money in the bank. Some would say he was living the dream. However when we look more closely we find that there is just one thing that is ruining this lovely portrait of success.
2 Kings 5:1 King James Version
Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
The last 5 words seem to jump off the page. Everything is great except that he is a leper. It seems that wealth, respect, accomplishments pale in the sight of leprosy. You cannot get rid of it through doctors, you can buy your way out of this condition with money and no matter how much sympathy you may receive, you’re still a leper. You can try to not think about it, you can cover the mirror and hide it with clothes, but you are still a leper.
Usually stories like this do not have a happy ending. I believe that this story is placed in scripture for people like Naaman. You have accomplished great things and earned a place in life’s hall of fame but you’re not happy. You’re dying and there is none who can stop the process. You can try self help groups and read a library of reference books. You can focus on positive thinking but when all is said and done you are still a leper. You can try to avoid it and mask it with the things that this world has to offer but at the end of the day when the lights are turned off you realize that nothing has changed and you’re even more of a leper than you were the day before. You look at the hour glass as the sand ebbs away and realize there’s nothing left to do.
But wait that is not necessarily true. If you’re a leper this chapter is here for you. Let’s continue to read.
2 Kings 5
2And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5And the king of Syria said, Go to, go,
Hey listen my friend there is someone who has power over this dread condition that you’re dealing with. You’re going to have to leave the place where you are living and travel to a land that is not your own. You’re going to have to inquire of a God that you have not inquired of before. But hey, isn’t it worth the trip. What’s holding you in this place. Everything you have means nothing if you’re a leper. Naaman is a wise man and lets little time pass by before he finds this man who knows this strange God that has power over leprosy. It does not matter that is a jewish God, it does not matter if he is in enemy territory, all that matters is that he must get rid of this plague that is stealing away his life.
However something happens here that throws a cog in the wheel. Naaman is also suffering from another condition that might interfere with his problem. This is a common condition carried by most every person on earth. Before he can cure his first condition he must also deal with this second condition.
2 Kings 5 King James Version
9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
This second condition is even more serious than the first. It can cause a man to walk away from what he so desperately needs. That condition is pride. As bad as Naaman wanted to be delivered from leprosy, his pride was greater. He was willing to die a leper and outcast rather than let his pride be hurt. Doesn’t this prophet know who I am, doesn’t he know how much I have done and how influential I am in the land that I dwell in? Listen, that is all hog wash. None of that stuff matters if you’re a leper. Naaaman was wise in that he had surrounded himself with people who could show him a perspective not tainted with the stench of pride. Even so it was an experience harder than any battle he had ever fought. For now he found his enemy was within himself. Pride screamed all the way to that dirty river. Pride tried to keep him from following through with all that was required. However this disease needed to be dealt with just as much as the one he had come to be delivered from. Let’s look at what’s taking place.
2 Kings 5 King James Version
12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
One time, two times, three then four, each time he descended into that watery grave he was burying a little more of his pride. Finally the seventh time arrived and when he came forth from that dirty Jordan river he realized that his skin was as a childs. He was a different person, a new man, with new hope and a new character void of pride.
Oh there is a lesson in this true story for all of us. You see each of us is a leper. No matter how good you are, no matter how much you have done, or even how wealthy you have become. You’re still a leper. The world cannot cure you and money can’t buy you out of this condition. There is only one place you can go for help, there is only one God that can deliver. However like Naaman you may not have been aware up to this point of that secondary condition of pride. For if one does not get you the other will. You have to deal with both of them at the same time.
Leprosy is a type of sin in scripture. We all have sinned so we all have the condition and if we leave it undealt with it will steal away all the good that we have done. There is only one cure for sin and that is the blood of calvary. The blood of one who has conquered death and the grave itself. Christ has the antibodies so to speak to eradicate sin. I find it so amazing that people want to get rid of something that blemishes their life and dreams for the future but let pride interfere in their deliverance. What Elisha asked Naaman to do was not that difficult. It would only take a few minutes and be a minor inconvenience. But Naamans pride did not like to be told what to do or how to do it. Pride wants to do it in its own way so that it is recognized and receives its piece of the glory.
For people wanting to get rid of their sin, (leprosy) we have to learn the lesson of Naaman. If we want a perfect outcome we have to follow perfect obedience. Now picture yourself coming to the Apostle Peter and asking what Naaman did only slightly differently.
Acts 2 King James Version
37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Now I sometimes find many responding to this scripture just as Naaman did. Hey listen I would rather just stay in the river of faith and wash in what I believe. Don’t people realize what I have done in my life, I am a good person. I give food to the hungry and money to the destitute. I live a good life. But wait my dear friend that’s all well and good but you’re still a leper. Not only are you a leper but now you are manifesting a second condition and that is as serious and possibly even more serious than the first. Your pride is lifting its ugly head and saying look at me I want my piece of the action as well. We all need to bury that ugly monster. It’s not appealing to people and certainly appalling to God. Just obey, just walk over to the water and surrender your will to the will of God and follow his directions. Bury that pride and leave it in that watery grave. For when you do as you’ve been told you will find that the leprosy or sin that has been an anchor on your entire life will be gone and your heart will be as the heart of an infant.
Taking into consideration the cost that has been paid for you to receive this monumental gift your investment is very small. When you walk away from that water you will be so full of gratitude that your accomplishments will seem so much more insignificant and God’s work in your life will be monumental.