2 Kings 5: Greed vs. Gratitude

"Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, 'Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.'" 2 Kings 5:15

Through the great story of Naaman and Gehazi, 2 Kings 5 teaches us an extremely practical lesson on the difference between greed and gratitude. Before we go anywhere this morning, I encourage you to ask yourself a question: do you consider yourself a man (or woman) of greed or gratitude?

In our story this morning, Naaman is the character who shows us what gratitude is. Naaman is a Gentile who has leprosy. Through the testimony of an Israelite girl, he hears about this great man named Elisha who can heal him of his disease. Naaman goes to Elisha and asks how he can be healed. Elisha tells him to go and wash in the Jordan seven times over. Originally, he is hesitant, but eventually washes in the Jordan and is healed. His response is a confession of Yahweh as the only God, and he devotes himself to making sacrifices to Yahweh, showing his true repentance.

Gehazi, on the other hand, is the character who points us to what greed is. After Naaman is healed, he offers Elisha a gift for his great service in pointing to him toward healing. Elisha refuses the gift, but Gehazi did not see this as the right choice. Desiring to get something out of Naaman, Gehazi catches up to him on his journey home and lies to him, telling him that the king asked something of him. Wanting to please the king, Naaman supplies Gehazi with what he asks for. However, Elisha hears of this, and condemns Gehazi to leprosy.

From this story, we find two great contrasts between greed and gratitude:

Firstly, gratitude is satisfied with what God gives, but greed desires more. Notice here that Gehazi had everything that Naaman wanted: a healthy body without leprosy. Yet, he desired more. Whereas Naaman was thankful when he as cured and offered sacrifices to God because of it, Gehazi desired more. He had a healthy body and a good status in Israel, yet he desired more. Likewise, if we are men and women of gratitude, we will realize that God has given us Christ and desire nothing more.

Secondly, gratitude turns us outward, greed turns us inward. Naaman was influenced to worship the Lord and the Lord alone in his own gratuity, but Gehazi took the matters into his own hands. Let us notice here: it is not wrong to want things; it is wrong to not be content when God doesn't give us them. There is nothing wrong with wanting money, friends, or food. However, there is something wrong with desiring these things greater than God's will, and thus not trusting him when he does not give us these things, or anything else. If we are men and women of gratitude, we will be thankful for what God gives us, and even when we desire something that we do not get, we will be thankful for what we have already gotten and trust the Lord. However, greed leaves us to the trap of over-desire.

So, are you a man or woman of greed or gratitude? Surely there is much more blessing in the latter. Amen!