Epiphany VI,  February 12, 2006

II Kings 5:1-14 & Mark 1:40-45    

 It’s Not About You 

Jesus was not very politically correct.

At least that’s what the folk in his hometown of Nazareth thought the day Jesus showed up at the synagogue to give commentary on the scriptures.  It was his comment about Naaman the Syrian that brought about some anger.  “There were plenty of lepers in Israel at the time of Elisha the prophet,” he told the worshipers, “but none of them were healed – only Naaman the Syrian.”

Not only was Naaman the general of a foreign kingdom; his boss, King Ben-Hadad of Aram, lay siege against Jerusalem.  The resulting famine was so terrible, some people cannibalized their children!  That’s the thanks Israel got for curing Naaman’s leprosy!

Naaman was a hot-headed and arrogant fellow to boot.  At least when he initially came to Joshua the prophet he was.

But Naaman learned something critical.  The world wasn’t about Naaman.  Life wasn’t about Naaman.  And for sure, God was not Naaman’s cosmic bellhop.

Although the story of Naaman takes place about 2800 years ago in a distant land and foreign culture, it reaches across the ages with some relevant lessons for our spiritual lives today.

A few words about Naaman: he was a top commander in the Syrian army, who was very much appreciated by his boss, King Ben-Hadad.  There was a constant struggle between the Syrian armies and those of Israel – sometimes severe and sometimes things would quiet down a bit.  The story in our scripture takes place during one of the more quiet times in the relationship

between the two countries.  Naaman was a key leader in his king’s army and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle when he was not away in battle.  He drove the latest chariot and had servants to attend to his wishes.  Yet – you would not envy Naaman, because he was a leper.  Though lepers were not outcasts in Syria the way they were in Israel, leprosy was still a dreaded and despised disease.

It turns out that one of the servant girls in Naaman’s household is an Israelite who was captured in one of  Naaman’s raids on Israel.  Through her suggestion to her mistress, Naaman goes to Israel to be healed of the disease.  Then, he would have it all!  He would be happy, healthy and wealthy.  Who could ask for more?

But, as with every life where there is a genuine encounter with God, things were about to change and Naaman’s life would never be the same.  The central themes in his experience are instructive for every time and place.

The name of God will be honored in the life of a foreigner and the love of God will embrace someone who would be considered a plague on Israel. 

The sovereignty of God translates to this – whatever the circumstances or events of our living, we are called to live in faith, honor God, and leave the outcomes to God.  Naaman’s Israelite servant-girl might very well have kept the healing ministry of Elisha to herself: “Let him suffer,” she might have said to herself, “He took me from my home – he deserves to have this misery.”  Instead, her life of faith meant that she had to honor God.  What would become of Naaman would be up to God, not up to her.

You see, it is not about Naaman.  It is about God.

The story about Naaman’s healing is a message about parochialism.  It absolutely punctures the “my church is better than your church,” or  “our country is better than your country,” or “my race is better than your race,” attitudes some folk have.  Like those folks in Nazareth who were gathered for worship with Jesus leading,  they didn’t want to hear about God healing one of those people when their own people weren’t being healed.

The barriers between human need and God’s blessings are more about us than about God.  When we live with the attitude that God’s blessing is limited to those who are like us, we wind up cutting ourselves off from God.  Whether Naaman gets blessed by God has nothing to do with whom you and I believe God should or should not bless.  It will have to do with Naaman’s own relationship with God.

Naaman begins his journey with an attitude.  First of all, he brings a tremendous gift  from his King to influence the prophet to heal him.  You can’t exactly blame Naaman.  It wasn’t as though everyone in Israel hade the welcome mats out for Syrian army  generals.         

About 10 years ago a member of my previous church stopped by my office and handed me a $10,000 check, to help with the church’s tight finances.  He could well afford it, and the church was in need.  I was impressed and thankful.           

Then...........can you see this coming?.........as he was leaving, he said, almost as an afterthought:             “By the way, pastor, the IRS is auditing one of my past returns, where I over-stated my contributions to the church; would you kindly send me an adjusted contribution statement I could show them?”

 Don’t be too hard on the fellow.  Sending gifts ahead when you are hoping for a good outcome has a long tradition.  How many of us have children who sometimes surprise us by doing the dishes, or cleaning their rooms before asking to using the car or extend their curfew?

And Naaman’s boss was not fooling around.  The gift he sent on behalf of his general was just over $1 million US in today’s money!

As it turns out, it isn’t money the prophet Elisha requires.  He simply wants Naaman to follow some simple directions.  “Wash yourself seven times in the River Jordan.”

Now Naaman thinks that’s a bit humiliating.  Elisha didn’t even come out in person...he sends a servant with the instructions.

Naaman is incensed!  “Why?  The rivers in my home town of Damascus are way better than all the waters in Israel.  Besides...what’s all this washing in the river?  Here I bring all this money and I’m thinking the prophet will come in person and do his thing and say his prayer and cure me!”

Naaman’s servant sees through his master’s ranting and raving and says something like: “Excuse me sir, but if the prophet told you to climb the highest mountain seven days in a row and say your prayers, or roll a pebble on your hands and knees all the way back to Damascus, you probably would do it.  So why not this simple washing thing?”

Naaman lays down his pride.  Followed directions.  And was blessed.

Naaman discovered something.  It’s not about Naaman.  It is about God.

There’s a delightful postscript to our reading.  Not delightful for the subject of this note, but an incident so revealing of human nature.  This takes place immediately after our reading for today.

Elisha would accept nothing from Naaman for the healing.

Important message here: The blessing of God is not for sale.  God gives freely and asks that we give our worship and praise freely.  We give our lives – not our livelihood.

But, Elisha’s servant sees an opportunity to skim a bit of Naaman’s treasure off for himself.  Hey, who’s to know? 

It was too much to resist.  He chases Naaman’s caravan down, and makes up a story about how Elisha needs a bit of money and clothing for a couple of prophet-students who have come to the camp.  Naaman gladly gives the servant something on the order of $21,000.

The servant heads home and tries to tell Elisha that he had been at home the whole time.  The long and the short of the story is that Elisha tells the servant that since he wanted something of Naaman’s, he would have Naaman’s leprosy.  “‘Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you, and to your descendants forever.’ So we went out a leper, as white as snow.”

The wonderful message that impacts our lives is the one that comes from the last verse of the text.  “So Naaman went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.”

When we lay down our pride and listen for the message of God, we discover the newness of life the blessing God wants us to have.

When our attitudes, our pride or our most cherished opinions get in the way of our spiritual growth, we need to pray for the courage to look in t he mirror and say, “It’s not about you.  It’s about God.”