The Success God (Part Three)

Today we take a final look at the story of Old Testament general Naaman of Syria. Once an insider, then marginalized by the disease of leprosy, Naaman has experienced a miraculous healing. Now, in turning the God who had healed him, his conversion makes substantial changes in his heart and attitude…

• Naaman’s conversion (5:15-18). How we thank God for those He sends into our life to urge us to believe and accept His message! Naaman no doubt was grateful for his courageous servants who had pleaded with him to dip in the Jordan. He was clean and grateful. The first thing he wanted to do as a new believer was to give a gift in thanksgiving to God. Was Elisha being rude in refusing the money? Or was he being careful to be a champion of God’s grace and not risk any misconception that salvation can be purchased? I believe he was a champion of grace. How shall we understand Naaman’s request in 5:17-18? As a new follower of Jehovah, he was anticipating how this would affect his temple worship. I think it’s remarkable that he was already thinking ahead about transferring his allegiance from Rimmon to the God of Israel. We need to give new believers time to grow, for like Naaman, they are exchanging their former gods for the God of heaven.

Keller contends, then that, for Naaman, it was not his leprosy that was his problem it was his career—and that area of struggle is not uncommon in ministry in the 21^st century. IIt can become all consuming and family is neglected so that we can climb the ladder of success.

The ministry provides, for many of us, this career god temptation. There is always a call to make, a meeting to plan, a message to prepare. It is so tempting because these things are “good.” But are they always “best”? Not if they turn success into a god.

Will you join me in resisting, with God’s help, this temptation?