The Price of Pride

And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

2 Kings 5:10 (RSV)

From this passage we can learn several spiritual lessons. We can see the glory of God, the edification, the anointing, etc. But we want to learn a lesson that repeats itself in everyday life and for which the Bible gives us an important warning found in Luke 14:11: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." We want to talk about pride. If you read verses 1-19 you will get an idea of the pride we are talking about.

Naaman, suffering from leprosy, is told by a Jewish slave to consult a man of God who can heal him. Seeing himself as the leader of the army of the king of Syria, he considers himself entitled to all divine honors to receive his healing from Elisha (V.11). Although in his time, leprosy was considered a rejection and humiliation. Elisha asked him to wash 7 times in the Jordan to be healed and purified. For this he became angry.

This is a situation that many Christians face. They not only want to receive from God, but they want it done in a glorious way so that everyone will see them and know that they are God's favorites. In Naaman's case, for God to grant him healing was not a problem. But he must have known that he had no merit in the eyes of God, and his social position did not earn him a divine ceremony. That said, my advice today, whatever you need from God, be humble and patient. Do not seek what will elevate you, for God knows your heart.

May the grace of God be with you all.