2 Kings 7:4-8 – Living life proactively

Elisha’s prophecy that there would be food in abundance came to pass.  Second Kings 7:4-8 narrate how it all happened. The Aramean army who had put Samaria under siege had suddenly fled their camp. They took flight in the cover of the night, leaving their horses, donkeys, and even everything in their tents behind. Verse 6 tells us why they did so. It said that God had caused them to hear sounds of chariots, horses, and a great army approaching them. We surmise that the sound must be so deafening that they were terrified. So they concluded that the king of Israel had solicited the help of the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians. In their terror, they said to one another that those hired forces were coming against them and they were drawing near. So in fear, they fled their camp and left everything behind.

Meanwhile, four leprous men were living around the outskirt of the city because as lepers they were the society’s outcasts. They were camping at the gate of the city to beg for food from the people coming in and out. Verse 3 suggests that they were feeling the effect of the famine. Evidently, they were starving due to the lack of food. So they reasoned with themselves, asking why not do something more proactive? Why should they be passive, remained where they were, do nothing, and wait to die? They reckoned if they remained where they were they would die of starvation anyway. So they decided to take a chance and enter the enemy’s camp. When they came to the camp of the Aramean army, they were amazed that the camp was devoid of the enemy. Entering one of the tents they found food and ate and drank their fill, to their hearts’ content. Then they took the silver, gold, and clothes that the Arameans had left behind and hid them. After they had plundered one tent, they would go to another and do the same. It was a field day for the band of four lepers.

Here are two lessons from the four lepers. Firstly, we must live life proactively. Being proactive is being responsible for how we want to live our lives. We don’t blame our circumstances but act despite the setbacks that overwhelm us. Life comes with choices, and we can always do something positive to improve the situation. Secondly, we need to know that making a choice to live proactively requires us to take calculated risks. We need to be vulnerable if we want to be useful vessels. Are we prepared to take the risk to be effective? We have much more to lose if we don’t. Remember, to whom much is given much is required. We are ultimately answerable to God.