A Story of Possiblity, Hope, and Promise: Naaman

 

            I took the week off last week. I was supposed to be in Ohio meeting a friend that I haven’t seen in over a year, but when we looked at the pandemic numbers in the Midwest, we decided it might be better to hold off. But while we couldn’t go to Ohio and actually be in the same physical location, we did not let that defeat us. We set up our devices and had a virtual play date. For over two hours, we talked and laughed and caught up on all the things about life. It was not the same by any stretch of the imagination, but it was something.

            That’s been my sort of mantra lately: “at least it was something.” Something feels better than nothing. Something is filled with possibilities and hope and a promise. And these days, don’t most of us need the somethings that come with possibilities, hope, and a promise?

            One of my favorite stories of the Bible is the story of Naaman. We find Naaman’s story tucked into 2 Kings (you can read the whole story at 2 Kings 5:1-19). Naaman isn’t an Old Testament hero. He wasn’t even a part of the “chosen people” community. Naaman was a warrior. He was the commander of the Aram army. He had slaves who were spoils of war, including a young girl from Israel that Naaman gave to his wife. Naaman was a super impressive, super important guy to the Aram army, but he had a problem: he had leprosy. Well, he had a skin problem. The bible uses “leprosy” to describe any number of skin issues. Naaman has a skin condition that so far, no amount of calamine lotion has been able to help. He’s taken the oatmeal baths and spent more money on doctors than he cares to count. He’s clearly uncomfortable, proving that fame and fortune does not always mean comfort.

            Then, from out of the wings, comes this voice. The voice from the margins: the voice of the serving girl, who is serving Naaman’s wife when she mentions (in passing? Deliberately?) a prophet named Elisha from her homeland. Elisha could cure him! Naaman’s wife tells him what the girl said and Naaman gets permission from his king to go check Elisha out. Actually, the story gets a little comical here. See, the girl never said Elisha’s name. She said “the prophet.” Namaan tells the king about the prophet and the king sends a letter to the king of Israel. “This is my guy Naaman. Here’s some money. Cure him.”

            The king of Israel gets the letter and pitches a fit. “Am I God?” the king of Israel asked. Word gets to Elisha that the king is freaking out about this, so Elisha intervenes, telling the king to send Naaman his way. Naaman heads off to Elisha, but before he gets to Elisha’s house, Elisha’s messenger meets him and gives him directions: “Go, wash in the Jordan River seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” Naaman is ticked off. I mean, he is hot with anger. First of all, Naaman is probably not used to having a servant greet him before the Lord of the household. What a snub! Second of all, he is just insulted by the idea that he should have to stoop so low as to take a bath in the Jordan River. Ew. Naaman rants and raves about how much better the waters are in Damascus.

            Then, from out of the wings, comes this voice. The voice from the margins: the voice of (you guessed it) a servant, who says what might be the best line in the whole story.

            “If the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it?” In other words, are you rejecting this path just because it sounds too simple? Naaman calms down. He takes a deep breath and to his credit, admits that the servant is right. He washes in the Jordan River, seven times just like Elisha’s messenger told him to, and he’s made clean. Naaman praises God, and Elisha (to his credit) won’t take credit or payment for it. It’s all about God.

            I love Naaman’s story for two reasons. First, I love the comedy of it. Like in a play, miscommunication can be funny. The king of Aram assumes the king of Israel is the prophet. The image of Naaman pitching a fit while glaring at the Jordan River is funny. The second thing I love about Naaman’s story is the surprise. It is surprising that the way forward comes not from princes and kings, not from generals and loud flashy decrees, but from the marginal voices. Naaman’s comfort is largely thanks to the servant girl that he stole from Israel and his own manservant who calls him out on his temper tantrum. The one who delivers the directions to wash in the river is a messenger, and the prophet of God isn’t the king. And the way forward, the path to healing, isn’t through a complicated ritual or a magic wand. It’s a simple washing. It’s so simple that at first, Naaman doesn’t even believe it’s worth it. And in the end, the simple is the best.

            This is a story in which I find possibility, hope, and a promise. Washing in the river was something, which was better than the life Naaman was living before. Something is at least something! There is possibility here, and hope that we will be able to find a way forward no matter what circumstances we find ourselves stuck in. There’s hope that the answer to our problems might be simpler than we think. And the promise? The promise is that God is here for all of it. God doesn’t abandon us. God works in mysterious ways, through a girl enslaved by war and the simplicity of a river that might not seem like much at first glance.

            Relish the simple. Seek out things that remind you of possibility, hope, and promise.

            What is giving you hope today? What stories remind you of possibility and promise?  

            Have you heard or read Naaman's story before? Read the story again in 2 Kings 5. What details stand out to you? What do you feel while you're reading the story?