2 Kings 5:20-27 – Don’t be seized by greed

In 2 Kings 5:20-27, we saw Gehazi, Elisha’s personal servant being infected by greed. We are told how he was overcome by it and how he ended. The account has it this way. After his healing, Naaman wanted to show his gratitude to Elisha. So he offered the prophet a gift which he turned down. So they parted ways. But Gehazi his servant thought otherwise. He felt that Elisha was too obliging by not accepting a reward for the healing he had helped the commander to receive. So he ran after the commander, who apparently was taken by surprise that he should pursue him. He turned around and asked Gehazi was everything well and was told that all was well. The latter then concocted a tale to deceive him. He said, “My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’” Believing his lies, Naaman gave him the silver and the clothes he requested, which he quickly stashed away before Elisha could discover.

The problem with lying is that it has a cascading effect. People who tell lies find that they often must tell more lies to cover the first one. This was evident in Gehazi's experience. When he was standing before Elisha, his master asked him where did he go? He lied that he did not go anywhere. Unfortunately, he was trying to deceive a man of God who could see through his falsehood. Elisha then followed up with a poignant question. “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you?” Elisha was asking Gehazi if he had any thoughts for him and the ministry when Naaman turned back to meet him. It is undeniable that Elisha felt betrayed. So in a third question, Elisha showed that the ministry was and never should be about personal gain. With that, he pronounced leprosy that Naaman was healed of would be upon Gehazi and his descendants forever. Immediately, he went away with his skin white with leprosy.

What happened to Gehazi can happen to anyone. Many lives had been ruined because of greed. Remember the story of Achan in Joshua 7? He greedily kept a part of the ban loot from Jericho for himself. As a result, he and his family had to be put to death because of his greed. Then we learned about Demas, who was Paul's ministry companion. In 2 Timothy 4:10 the aged apostle lamented saying “For Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” Greed is a disease of the heart. Since greed is a disease of the heart, we must heed Proverbs 4:23 and “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”