Real Humility

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
July 4th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
“Real Humility”

I have a great deal of admiration for the character of Naaman. That might seem strange since the easy thing to do is to make dispersions on this General who needs a lesson in humility. But before going after Naaman we must first admit that we all have our blind spots. We all are in need of a lesson in humility that is probably connected to our need for healing in body, mind or spirit. And, like Naaman, it is often our own arrogance and lack of insight which keeps us from the healing we do desperately seek.
Since this is a story about healing, I want to take a moment and talk about healing. When I speak of healing, I do not assume this means cure. Some of us face brokenness in our lives, in mind body and spirit, for which there is no cure. However, there is always healing to be found. That may seem like a contradiction. However, the stories of people facing terminal illness who have found healing are many. It is that kind of healing of which I speak.
Naaman is a great general and someone who God holds in high regard. This is something of an oddity because he is a general in the army of Israel’s sworn enemies. Naaman is an outsider and an enemy to the community of God’s faithful. Naaman is also an outsider in his own country. Though he is a great general he is socially unacceptable because of a skin disease. So he understands about living in two worlds. Despite knowing something of life as an outsider, Naaman has much to learn about the ways of God. As a people who live in this time and place our own needs are not so different.
The healing of Naaman is a contrast of stories. It is a contrast between the ways of kings and generals and the ways of God. Naaman understands the ways of kings and generals. However, Naaman is wise enough, or maybe desperate enough, to listen to the voice of a slave girl. Not one person in his country nation can bring him healing, but this slave understands the wisdom and power of God. She knows of a wilderness prophet who can heal and do great things. However, despite listening to this slave girl, Naaman does not listen long enough. As a result, Naaman follows the wisdom of kings and generals and is off fix the problem. And it is this lack of fully listening that nearly creates an international incident.
Naaman follows proper protocol and seeks permission to cross the border from his King. The king sends Naaman with the proper credentials and a letter to the king. These are the actions of those of understand the ways of the experts; those with special training, degrees, and power. Kings, Generals, experts, and other credentialed folk never listen to the likes of a slave girl. This is why Naaman only listens to part of the wisdom found in the voice of the un-credentialed. His actions nearly start an international incident when the King of Israel turns out not to be the healer. If Naaman had bothered to fully listen to this slave girl, he would have learned that the prophets of God are not at the beck and call of the king.
Fortunately, for the King of Israel, and the great general, the prophets of God always keep a close eye on the ways of kings and generals. That is how it always works. The people on the margins and the people who are invisible to the people of power – servers, farm workers, dishwashers, custodians, and others, often know more about the people of power than the people of power know of themselves. As a result, Elisha is able to send word that he knows what to do so everyone can calm down. But this is not the end of the story.
Elisha does not come to the places of power. He only sends word that the great general will have to make his way to the wilderness. Still operating out of the ways of the credentialed, Naaman follows protocol and has his servants pack up the gifts and proper treasures to provide it to the man of healing. When the great General finally arrives with all the pomp and ceremony ready for healing, the prophet of God does not even come out to greet him. In the land of kings and generals, this is a personal affront. How dare this wilderness prophet refuse to pray proper deference to the general? After all, being treated with deference is always expected by those who have the proper credentials and degrees. However, God does not work this way. With God, wisdom and healing seldom resides with the degreed and credentialed. Fortunately, Naaman has lived just enough of his life and an outsider not to walk away.
Once again, it is not the kings and generals who know. The unnamed aids of the general point out that it is possible that this wilderness prophet might bring healing through this dirty little river. And that is just what happens. In that little river, the great general Naaman finds healing, for his skin disease and for his arrogance. Falling at the feet of Elisha, who finally greats him face to face, Naaman proclaims faith in the God of Israel. It is a powerful scene of transformation. It is true that God can bring healing even when faced with the hubris of kings and generals.
This is not a story of happily ever after where the healed general will return home and transform his country into the faith of Israel’s God. Instead, we see a general who will return to a land where he will be expected to worship and serve other Gods. By taking some dirt back, Naaman will be able to be reminded of the healing he found and by which God his healing came. The dirt will serve as a reminder that the ways of God often come through slave girls, wilderness prophets, and nameless aids. This newly healed General will have to learn to walk in two worlds and it will not be easy. And maybe, just maybe, the next time an un-credentialed person has something to say, he will fully listen before dismissing what is being said.
I am convinced that we are each of us, like Naaman. We are a people who live in one culture and live a faith that is in contrast to much of the dominant culture. Today we are called to sign patriotic songs and that is fine as long as we never forget that we too live another and more powerful story. We are sent to be like lambs among wolves. And as such we will need to work hard to listen to and provide space for the un-credentialed to speak. We will have to give witness to the fact that our faith teaches forgiveness and the theme of our society is retribution, and that our faith teaches that we should pray for our enemies and our society says torture them. If anyone needed to live with a jar of dirt in our pockets it is us. So stand up and give thanks for this country but remember that God works beyond its borders and that wisdom will come even from our enemies. When we reach that place we, like Naaman with find a new and deep confidence that comes from recognizing that our power comes from a God who asks for humility. It might just be our only path to real healing. Amen? Amen.