One Small Act

• February 14, 2010
• #life
• #leadership

Here’s a message I did from John Maxwell’s “Running with the Giants”:

I want to talk to you about one of the greatest events in the OT. It happens in the life of Naaman… He was the Commander of the Syrian army. The Bible says that he earned the love and respect of his king. But there was a problem, he had leprosy. Think about this, he was commander of the army of one of the most powerful nations in the world at that time AND HE HAD LEPROSY! This dude was bad!!!

2 Kings 5:1-3 [NKJV]

1 Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”

The story continues… Naaman asks the king of Syria (his master) if he can go to Israel and see this prophet that his little servant girl told his wife about. He left with A LOT of money and gifts, and a letter from the King of Syria to the King of Israel.

2 Kings 5:6 [NKJV]

6 Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.

Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the kind of day where the news just can’t get any worse?? The King of Israel was having one of those days. He tore his clothes thinking this was some ploy so Syria could attack Israel. LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND… What if [hypothetical] some of the seemingly impossible situations in our lives were sent by God so that we can be used in a mighty way?? We pray, “God use me!”…but are we really ok when the opportunity presents itself?? Elisha hears what happened and steps in. Naaman goes to Elisha’s door and Elisha doesn’t even see him. Elisha sends a messenger to him. Doesn’t the man of God understand what is on the line here??

2 Kings 5:10-12 [NKJV]

10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

Naaman’s Class of Leadership 101:

1. Get angry when things don’t go the way you wanted them to. (But Naaman became furious – v.11)
2. Expect everyone else to cater to you and your desires. (Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me… – v.11)
3. Always have a microwave mentality. Go for the quick fix. (…wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ – v.11)
4. Hold onto your own assumptions and misconceptions at all costs. (Are not the Abanah and the Phapar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? - v.12)
5. Reject what you don’t understand. (So he turned and went away in a rage –v.12)

2 Kings 5:13-14 [NKJV]

13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

What does Naaman speak to us today? Surround yourself with people who can disagree with you (and give you wise counsel.) Who has permission to disagree with you? When you get wise counsel follow it! Does your system of accountability have action? (Many times we set up accountability in our lives not to change but to appease our conscience. Remain teachable. What if we miss out on God’s blessings because we thought we had everything figured out? 

But this is not the great story I was talking about… How was Naaman healed? Maybe through obedience or by the prophet?? OR was there another catalyst to the healing process? Let’s look back at the story.

2 Kings 5: 2-3 [NKJV]

2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”

LESSONS WE CAN LEARN OF GREATNESS:

IF YOU CHOOSE TO ACT, class, race, age or gender cannot hinder your impact.

Many times we discount what we can do because we think that we are too small or powerless to make a difference. She was a slave, the lowest anyone could be in social standing. She was an outsider, a Jew living in Syria. She was young, why would a powerful leader listen to her? She was a female in a male dominated culture. She had nothing going for her—no power, no position, no possessions. I think the Apostle Paul would say it like this… “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

NO ACT is too small.

Naaman had access to the best doctors in the country. Most likely everyone in his household had watched him go through every conceivable treatment—ALL OF WHICH FAILED! On top of that… she couldn’t even heal Naaman! All she could do is make a suggestion to her mistress, Naaman’s wife. Rather than being discouraged by what she couldn’t do, she did what she could do.

HER ACT took guts.

She took a huge risk by stating that her God could heal Naaman. Imagine what would have happened to her if he didn’t come back healed?? In fact the stakes weren’t just high on her but on all of Israel. Not only was Naaman healed but his faith changed.

2 Kings 5:15 [NKJV]

“Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel

ONE SMALL ACT!!

This little, insignificant slave girl was able to change the course of history and we don’t even know her name.

This hits me…

I started to ask myself questions:

Do I only look for opportunities that will get people to know my name?

Do I pass over God moments because they are too small or too insignificant? 

Am I confident that God will come through?

Will I risk my reputation for what I know is right?? 

If a situation arose would people around me even listen to me? Does my character make way for my counsel??

…because one small act really can make a difference.