Wisdom from Below: Reflections on 2 Kings 5:1-14

February 07, 2012 by John Holbert

Continued from Page 1

But this will plainly not do! Naaman has spent too long building his reputation for greatness, too long accumulating his vast wealth to be treated like this! "'I thought that for me (emphasis on the "me") he (the prophet himself) would surely come out, stand tall and call on the name of YHWH his God, wave his hand over the place and cure this stuff. Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus are better than all the rivers of Israel put together! Could I not wash in them and be clean?' So he turned and left in a raging huff" (2 Kings 5:11-12).

But as at the story's start, the proud Naaman is saved by servants. Give it a try, they say. Why, if the prophet had told you to do something hard, you would readily have done it. This is easy. What have you got to lose? So Naaman swallows his pride and lowers his aching body into the Jordan and came out of the river with the "flesh of a young boy" (2 Kings 5:14).

So what is this story about? Pride needs to goeth before a cleansing? Yes. Politicians often do not know what they are doing? Yes. Prophets have enormous power? Of course. But for me, this time, I hear, listen to those who have little power. Those of us with great power have to open our ears wider to listen to those we do not readily hear. Without the servants in this story, the little girl, the prophet's messenger, the general's slaves, Naaman would still be diseased and Israel and Aram would once again be at war. There is wisdom in low places, and we who are high must listen to what they have to say.

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2/7/2012 5:00:00 AM

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About John Holbert

John C. Holbert is the Lois Craddock Perkins Professor Emeritus of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, TX.

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