Ill From Pride And Leprosy

From: November 29 – December 5, 2011 TOPIC: "Ill From Pride And Leprosy” 2 Kings 5:9-25

Many times we hide to not face what we would not like to face. The reality is, that what we hide from is confronting ourselves. The Syrian general Naaman was ill with leprosy. No one in the palace of the Syrians could pray to God so that Naaman could be cured. In Syria there was only idolatry. But, in Israel there was a prophet of God well known by God, the prophet Elisha. Then, Naaman went to his neighbor country Israel looking for the prophet so that he could cure him from his leprosy. But, to Naaman’s surprise, the prophet treated him without complying. Elisha did not go to him personally, he just sent a messenger. (2 Kings 5:10) He did this so that Naaman wouldn’t feel too arrogant. Elisha reacted with Naaman according to God’s will. God’s power was continually upon Elisha’s life and everyone knew it, nevertheless, there was no pride or vanity in him. He demonstrated to be totally submitted to God; there was nothing from within him but only God. Elisha was not a vain or arrogant person even as a prophet with power and fame; but when we see Naaman’s attitude, we can see pride manifested. Pride is one of the worst sins we can have. Pride makes us act wrongfully and almost always angry. We can see it in Naaman. He easily became angry because he did not like the way Elisha treated him, he was expecting an exclusive treatment. Naaman was terribly ill with leprosy and before everything else he should seek to be cured. But, pride is so demanding that it goes beyond the body covered in rotten wounds that fall off little by little. Naaman’s pride did not allow him to see his condition. Elisha refused to go to him; he did not want to speak to him personally. The Word given by the prophet was enough. If only the prophet word would have been received with faith, it would have been enough to receive the miracle of healing. So Naaman was told what he had to do by Elisha’s servant in order to be healed, and that was offensive to him. He wanted Elisha to come to him personally. How much pride! He needed to think about his illness! We know that Naaman was an important person, but Elisha was a man of the Spirit who did what God wanted. In his mind, Naaman thought of how he should be treated and Elisha did not do what he pretended, but rather what God indicated. Naaman wanted for the prophet to stand before him and invoke the name of Jehovah his God, to lift his hand and touch his wound and heal his leprosy. (2 Kings 5:11) It is as if Naaman had said: “I thought that he would surely come out…it’s the least he can do for me, such a great person like me!” So much pride! How much we like to be recognized and have the doors opened because of how great we feel! He would think, “Will he mention my name in his prayer, because then it will show how great I am!” “He will touch the area where the leprosy is and there will be healing!” Since things did not go as he imagined, he became upset. It seemed as he cared more to receive the satisfaction for his honor than to receive the healing of his illness. If Naaman wanted to be healed by a divine power, then he should have surrendered to the divine will. How much anger! How passionate because of his pride! According to the

definition, the word pride means excess of proper esteem and the manifestation of despising another’s belongings, it is haughtiness and arrogance. “Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, are they not better than all the waters of Israel? (2 Kings 5:12) “For Namaan those rivers were better, but there was a divine will and God did not look at the rivers. God saw Naaman’s pride and directed Elisha to speak. Naaman left with his anger very furious, he left with the intention to never have anything to do with the prophet. Let us think, who was going to lose? His servants gave him an advice (2 Kings 5:13). Naaman’s servants could see that it was better to lower his head and this way he could conquer more. He was the master of those men and as such he demanded, but his servants made him understand what was correct because of the fairness of the service they were dedicated to. Naaman could not understand what it was to obey others. To that pride those servants spoke to him: “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, something very difficult, for example, to receive treatment for years, wouldn’t you have done this?” Without doubt you would do it. But, only he ordered, “wash and be cleansed.” The humbleness of those servants made him reason before such anger. If those servants had followed the thoughts of pride of Naaman they would have wanted to avenge the prophet. Then, what happened to those youngsters that yelled bald to Elisha and died could have happened to them. (2 Kings 2:23-25) Namaan remained cleansed when he lowered his pride, when he left the anger and fell in time. In this way with humbleness he acknowledged God. “Now I know that there is no God in the entire world except in Israel (2 Kings 5:15)” There was an Elisha who showed a God of power conquering the heart of that man doing well to him. He recognized in himself the miracle of healing. Naaman’s illnesses were his pride and his leprosy. He needed to be healed from both illnesses. Naaman needed to descend from the chariot of pride and later be cleansed according to how it had been prescribed to him. Let us learn from this and reassure our heart before God. Amen.