October 29th

Gehazi

            But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “My master has let that Aramean Naaman off too lightly by not accepting from him what he offered. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something out of him.”  So Gehazi went after Naaman.

            When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything all right?” 

                He replied, “Yes, but my master has sent me to say, ‘Two members of a company of prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim; please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” 

                Naaman said, “Please accept two talents.” He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them in front of Gehazi. When he came to the citadel, he took the bags from them, and stored them inside; he dismissed the men, and they left.

                He went in and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

            He answered, “Your servant has not gone anywhere at all.” 

                But he said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves?  Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you, and to your descendants forever.” So he left his presence leprous, as white as snow.

2 Kings 5:20-27

            Gehazi knew.

            He knew that his teacher had healed the great general of Aram for much less than market value.  Naaman had brought a king’s ransom of gold and silver and clothing and Elisha had not accepted any of it.  He just sent the foreigner away to return to his normal life without asking for a cent.  Gehazi knew that Naaman could pay and was willing, happy even, to pay but Elisha refused.  It seemed like a waste to let all that wealth just leave Israel.  Gehazi would not take all of it, but it would not take much to make a life-changing profit.  Elisha would never know and never have his conscience burdened.

            Gehazi was totally right about everything…except for one vital piece.  God told Elisha.  Secrets come out; there is nothing hidden from God and He reveals the truth to those that He chooses in the timing that He chooses.  Elisha cursed his friend and Gehazi went on to live as a leper for the rest of his life.

            Maybe Gehazi felt that he had worked really hard and deserved a reward.  Maybe he felt that it was only wise to save some resources for a rainy day.  Maybe he was looking for a way to leave Elisha and this was his big payday.  Maybe he just could not stand to see such a large pile of free money walk away without trying to claim some of it.  Whatever his reasons, he chose to defy his master and his God in the hopes that no one would find out.

            There is nothing hidden from God and He chooses what to reveal to whom.  All the secrets that we carry…all the dark thoughts and deeds that we conceal from the world…all of the sin that we bring into this world.  God knows it all.  Maybe we justify it to ourselves.  Maybe we say that we deserve a break from following the rules because we have been working hard with our kids.  Maybe we say that we just need to blow off some steam or need to check out of reality for our own mental health.  Maybe we just want to be irresponsible and not in charge…you know, we just want to be normal again.

            God knows.  He knows not just what we are trying to hide, He also knows what is driving us to sin.  He knows what tugs at our hearts and our minds and drives us to the shadows.  He offers us freedom and reconciliation and a path back to integrity and wholeness.  Gehazi did not receive as generous an offer.

            What Gehazi forgot…what we forget…is that hiding in sin does not make anything better.  We forget to worry about our daily struggles, but rebellion does not cure anything.  The only thing that brings us renewed life is Jesus.  Not porn, not drugs, not relationships, not work, not food, not alcohol, not money…Jesus.  That is where we find life and life more abundant than anything else this world has to offer.

           

A moment to reflect:

Do you have an area that you struggle to keep integrity in?  Try accountability.  Web issues?  There is accountability software.  Television issues?  Consider getting rid of some channels.  Relationship issues, substance issues, lifestyle issues?  Find a person or a group that can hold you accountable for what you do when no one is looking.