Pushed by encouragement

2 Kings 5:6-14 (NLT)
6 The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “This man sends me a leper to heal! Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.” 8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” 11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!

In these verses we find the story of Naaman being healed from leprosy. First he went to the King of Israel who became distraught over the message he received. Elisha upon hearing the story comforted everyone and said send him to me so I can show him there is a true prophet of God in Israel. At first Naaman did not want to listen to Elisha’s words, but he was convinced by others to follow the prophet’s orders and he was healed.

Sometimes we need encouragement from others to get us pushed in the right direction. The first encouraging words for Naaman came in verse 3 where it was said, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” On faith he followed this advice and sought his king’s permission to go to Israel. I’m sure when he saw the King of Israel tear his clothes in anguish he probably thought that was the end of any chance to be healed. But then the message came from Elisha that he was willing to heal Naaman and Naaman went on faith to Elisha. Naaman had his own expectations as we often do; wanting things to happen a certain way. So Naaman turned away in anger and that is when he got another encouraging word from those close to him. They said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” Encouraged Naaman did as was told and found immediate healing. We need to remember God puts people in our lives to encourage us and push us in the right direction. May God bless your life with those who care enough to encourage.