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James 4:10
Have you ever admitted you needed help? Did the first telling of your story require you to tell more people? Why?
Confessing Brokenness
** Continued from Serving Your Enemy Yesterday **
** Continued from Serving Your Enemy Yesterday **
Amazingly, Naaman listened to the advice of his little servant girl and acted on it. He decided not only to visit Israel’s prophet, but also to do it through the proper channels. His actions show he believed his slave girl’s God was worth the risk.
First, Naaman went to his king. He took a great risk in revealing his leprosy to anyone, much less the leader of the land. In all previous cases, those who had leprosy were banished to live in caves. If they came into the presence of healthy people they were required to shout “Unclean! Unclean!” Naaman came silently into the king’s presence and told his monarch of the ailment that was eating his flesh.
He quickly followed this revelation with the seemingly impossible promise made to him by his servant girl of a miracle cure from the prophet in Israel. The king, relieved that the banishment of his right-hand-man could wait until another day, jumped at the opportunity for some foreign diplomacy. He wrote a letter to the king of Israel, had servants load wagons full of treasure in payment for the healing, and sent Naaman with well wishes.
One can imagine the emotional turmoil Naaman’s wife suffered while her husband confessed his ailment to the king. Would her sweet Naaman be banished to the caves like every other leper? Her joy upon seeing him ride into the yard with an entourage in tow—treasure and a military escort—would have been beyond words. Naaman was alive and would be heading to Israel to see the prophet.
Naaman had achieved a lot already. He had humbled himself before his wife—revealing his leprosy to her. He had acted upon the advice of a child—a girl, an Israelite slave—as low as one could be in their society. And he had bared his soul to his king, risking death. All of this was but a training ground for the humility of heart that would be demanded on the road ahead.
** Continued in Revenge vs Respect tomorrow **
First, Naaman went to his king. He took a great risk in revealing his leprosy to anyone, much less the leader of the land. In all previous cases, those who had leprosy were banished to live in caves. If they came into the presence of healthy people they were required to shout “Unclean! Unclean!” Naaman came silently into the king’s presence and told his monarch of the ailment that was eating his flesh.
He quickly followed this revelation with the seemingly impossible promise made to him by his servant girl of a miracle cure from the prophet in Israel. The king, relieved that the banishment of his right-hand-man could wait until another day, jumped at the opportunity for some foreign diplomacy. He wrote a letter to the king of Israel, had servants load wagons full of treasure in payment for the healing, and sent Naaman with well wishes.
One can imagine the emotional turmoil Naaman’s wife suffered while her husband confessed his ailment to the king. Would her sweet Naaman be banished to the caves like every other leper? Her joy upon seeing him ride into the yard with an entourage in tow—treasure and a military escort—would have been beyond words. Naaman was alive and would be heading to Israel to see the prophet.
Naaman had achieved a lot already. He had humbled himself before his wife—revealing his leprosy to her. He had acted upon the advice of a child—a girl, an Israelite slave—as low as one could be in their society. And he had bared his soul to his king, risking death. All of this was but a training ground for the humility of heart that would be demanded on the road ahead.
** Continued in Revenge vs Respect tomorrow **
Reflection Question:
How is humility more like a lifestyle choice than a one time decision?
Before you pray together, ask: What would you like to say to Jesus today?
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