A Person of Influence

August 21, 2013

A Person of Influence

2 Kings 5:1-15

New King James Version (NKJV)

Naaman’s Leprosy Healed

5 Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,

Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.

7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”

8 So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah[a] and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

Naaman was influenced by his servant girl who urged him to follow the orders of the prophet Elisha.  Elisha told Naaman to dip 7 times in the River of Jordan.  And if he does that, he will be cleansed from his leprosy.  However, Naaman became angry.  He was too proud to dip into the muddy waters.  But his servant girl influenced him and he changed his mind.  He went into the Jordan River 7 times.  And after the seventh time, he was cured of his leprosy.

But something else happened.  Naaman did not only get cured from leprosy.  Because he was willing to humble himself and followed Elisha’s orders, God also healed his heart.  God cured him from pride.  Naaman was full of pride before he dipped into the Jordan River.  After he was healed, he became grateful to the God of Israel.  The God of Israel is Jesus Christ.  

When Naaman followed the prophet Elisha’s orders, he was healed of leprosy and his skin was restored.   When an unbeliever accepts Jesus as Lord, his soul is heal and he gains eternal life.

We as believers are to influence people for the kingdom of God.  

Here is something that is noteworthy.

God performed a miracle when He healed Naaman of leprosy.  God demonstrated His power to the people of Israel.   Israel was missing the blessings of God because  they were stubborn and stiff-necked.  They were prideful.  But God influenced them when he healed Naaman, a heathen, of leprosy.  Naaman was prideful too, but he humbled himself and submitted to the prophet and was cured.  In the end,  Naaman’s skin was restored, but more importantly, his heart was restored as well.  He ultimately acknowledge and gave thanks to the God of Israel.  

The prophet Elijah was a messenger of God.  When you heed the words of God’s messenger, you will be blessed.

Who can you influenced for Jesus today?

Poem:

Naaman was suffering from the ill of leprosy

He was a man who was full of pride

The prophet Elisha ordered him to dip in the muddy waters

Naaman became angry.  “Why there?”  He cried.

But his little servant girl was full of compassion for him,

“Please reconsider.”  She implored.

She influenced Naaman to follow the prophet’s orders.  

And when he did so, his skin was restored.

We meet people everyday, going to and fro.

Not a word to them we would say

We keep silent of the greatness of God

We say to ourselves, “I will just pray.”

But did you know that you have the power

to influence people, great and small

Because you serve a God who is great and mighty,

So go with boldness and answer the call.

Byword:  We can influence people in small ways to make an eternal difference.

Aldwin and Wendy Naruse

The Body of Christ Jesus Fellowship

Makaha, HI USA