Our Text:
2 Kings 5:1 "Now Naaman, Captain of the host of the King of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, BUT HE WAS A LEPER.
Naaman had a major "BUT" in his life that ensured a permanent shadow cast over him. No matter his accomplishments as a soldier, no matter the honor and high praise he received from the King, no matter the fame he enjoyed both abroad and at home, he was an unhappy man because he was a leper.
This disease was a death sentence hanging over his head at all times, like the sword of Damocles, and all that fame and money and goodwill which he enjoyed could not cure him, all the specialists both in medicine and in spiritism could not help him, he was doomed!
Naaman had everything earthly a person could want but he also had that one thing that a person would forfeit all earthly wealth to be rid of, he was a leper. Who would trade with him, the young Hebrew slave girl in his household wouldn't trade with him to obtain her freedom, nobody would take the leprosy from him even if he offered to give money with it, he was a 'dead outcast walking.'
Folks speak of the one "but" in Jabez's life because of his prayer, but Jabez was a successful man. He was highly favored in his town, and Bible history had it that his wisdom and piety had scribes flocking to him and the town was even named after him, see 1 Chronicle 2:54.
Jabez prayed to God because he was getting ready to go and oust the Canaanites who were occupying his people's land, and he was God fearing enough to acknowledge the providence of God upon his endeavors, so he asked God to prosper what he was about to do and not allow the dark meaning of his name to affect the enterprise. See 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10.
Now Naaman on the other hand had everything including this deplorable, shameful disease, he was a leper. Therefore he was a very sorrowful man.
An immediate lesson to learn from Naaman's situation is that we must never envy anybody. On the surface he looked like he had it all, but who would take that entire package from him? We know of the one who coveted what Naaman had, he got it all, including that which he did not bargain for (Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:20-27). Many there are who seemingly have it all but with great sorrow where they cannot enjoy that for which they are being envied.
On the other hand, this same condition of Naaman's was also his saving grace! By this he was sent to the servant of God, Elisha who administered God's cure which caused Naaman to renounce the gods of his people and embrace the only true God, Jehovah. When we find ourselves in dire straits and/or hopeless conditions, we should allow them to drive us to God who can save us eternally.
Throughout the Bible, when leprosy is used metaphorically, it denotes sin in a person's life which no amount of money or goodwill or fame can cure. Only by accepting the sacrificial, substitutionary work of Jesus at Calvary can a person be cured, healed, and assured of admittance into the Kingdom of God.
We should pray that the Lord God who cured Naaman would do the same and heal us of the one "BUT" in our lives. That He will heal us of our diseases and save us from all our sins. That He will seal us with the seal of the Holy Spirit so that when the trump shall sound and the dead in Christ shall be raised, we who are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the clouds to meet our Lord in the air! See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
May the Lord by His Spirit make it so in Jesus' name, Amen.
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