2 Kings 5:1-7 – Living with perspective

In the opening verse of 2 Kings 5, we are introduced to Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army. He was well regarded and a highly skilled military commander. Through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. Unfortunately, he was inflicted with leprosy. In one of his exploits, they captured an Israelite girl, who became his wife’s maid and waited on her.    

In 2 Kings 5:3, this servant girl confidently expressed a wish to her mistress saying, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.”  She was convinced that Elisha would be able to heal Naaman’s leprosy.  When the commander learned of what the girl had said, he related it to the king of Aram. The latter then told him saying, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman took ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothes with the letter written by the king of Aram to Israel. 

In the letter, the king of Aram expressly said that he was sending  Naaman to be healed of leprosy by his servant, meaning Elisha. At once, the king of Israel received the letter and read it, he went into a tirade. He tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?” His initial conclusion was that the king of Aram was seeking a quarrel with him.  

From this account, we learn about perspective in life. The little slave girl was certainly the unsung heroine in this story. She had a great perspective and though she was a captive in a foreign land, she was not bitter and did not lose her witness. Instead, she became the instrument to introduce Naaman to the prophet Elisha. A lesser person would have sat, mobbed, and moaned her plight. But she did not. Apart from serving her mistress, she found ways to help. Her perspective of life would have been limited if she had focused on her plight. Having a larger perspective than herself, God could use her as His instrument for someone else’s well-being.  The king of Israel on the other hand had a different perspective. He saw the king of Aram’s request for help for Naaman as an act of provocation.  Perspective has a way of transforming life. Our world could be turned around just by a little change in our attitude.  It is not our aptitude but our attitude that will determine our altitude in life.