Several years ago I walked up to the bedside of my newly-arrived patient and asked her what all the lesions that covered her legs and belly were. She said “leprosy.” I literally backed out of the room, bathed myself with sanitizer, and called the CDC. Turned out we didn’t need an oxygen-tank-Ebola-suit after all, just good old contact precautions would do.
Naaman had leprosy. His story is the story of two hearts.
Naman was an army commander. He was a great man. Highly regarded. He was valiant. He was an important man – used to people doing what he wanted. Yet leprosy infected him. The story goes that a servant in his home told his wife of a prophet who could cure him. Naaman was all ears to that and loaded up with a formal letter from the king, clothing, and gold, silver, He set off to find his healing. He eventually arrived at the prophet’s door, but Elisha didn’t even come out. He sent his messenger to tell Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River.
This easy prescription actually angered Naaman. Was it too simple? Beneath him? Did he just not get it? Was his heart a proud heart expecting a more respectful or elaborate solution? The Bible says he turned and went off in a rage.
But…
Naaman’s servants caught up with him and said, “Hey! If you were told to do some great thing, you would do it! Why don’t you at least try this easy thing?”
Good for Naaman! He listened to the servants, did the dipping, and was miraculously healed from a physically and socially devastating disease.
So, why a story of two hearts?
It’s the story of a prideful, self-filled heart versus a servant’s heart. It was easy for the servant’s heart to accept an easy, basic solution. It was easy for the servant’s heart to be humble enough to trust in the simplest of commands. Not so much for Naaman’s heart full of self importance. His heart would not accept, at least initially, something so seemingly lowly.
But…
In the end, Naaman listened. And trusted. And not only was Naaman’s leprosy cured that day, but he also received a servant’s heart.
It is the heart I want as well! May the prayer of my heart always be – make me a servant today.