“You Shall Be Clean”

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

2 Kings 5:1-3

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the water of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he 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.

Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.”

2 Kings 5:9-15

General Naaman had everything the empire could offer him, except his health. In contrast, the slave girl had no options or power at all. As a captive in a raid, she had been forced into a lifetime of slavery. But she did not permit herself to be overcome by despair and bitterness. Rather, she rose above her no-option estate to serve wholeheartedly the best interests of her master.

This servant girl did not see leprosy as God’s punishment, but as an opportunity to point Naaman to God’s prophet in Samaria. Her recommendation led to Naaman’s complete healing.

Today, many people have abundant options. Others, however, have their choices curtailed by poverty, poor health, or other adverse circumstances. When a crisis comes, even their limited options evaporate.

Yet one choice always remains. Like Naaman’s servant girl, we can still choose to serve God and point others to Him – regardless of our limited circumstances.

Facing an impossibility gives us the opportunity to trust God.

Our Daily Bread – November 19, 2008