From the outside it looked like I had it all together.
Wealthy, successful, happily-married – I was respected, even admired, by everyone around me. They all knew of the victories the Aramean army had won under my leadership, of how I was hailed as a “mighty warrior”. I had worked hard, and now I was reaping the rewards. Second in command only to the king, I was proud of all I had achieved.
But what no-one outside my household knew was that I was getting sick. The scabs and patches appearing on my skin were the tell-tale signs of leprosy. They were multiplying and spreading, and I knew there was no cure.
The thought of what lay ahead terrified me – not only the physical suffering, but people’s reactions when they found out.
Instead of being admired and applauded, I would be avoided – branded unclean.
Instead of being viewed as successful, I would be seen as… broken.
Join me at Gracefully Truthful to dig into Naaman’s story some more and reflect on how God meets us in our brokenness.
Thank you for sharing this, Lesley. ☺
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Thanks for reading!
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I read the full post and loved your interpretation of it. Some useful lessons there too.
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Thanks, Wemi! I’m glad you found it helpful.
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This is one of my favorite stories. And I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with it!
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Thanks, Michele! It’s one of my favourite stories too!
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This is a powerful interpretation, Lesley. I love how you speak as if from the mind of Naaman. And it always amazes me how God used a little slave girl. She was taken from those she loved, and yet she still carried on the message of her powerful God. Love and blessings to you!
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I’m glad you liked it, Trudy! And yes, I love how God used the slave girl in such a significant way! Love and blessings to you too!
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Lesley, you brought this passage to life! I’ve always appreciated Naaman’s story. The pride. The humility that leads to fervent, determined worship after he’s healed. His heart cleansed when his skin was healed. Thanks for these beautiful reminders!
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Thanks, Jeanne! It’s a story I’ve always enjoyed too. It was fun to look into it some more.
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Enjoyed this Lesley – Naaman humbled himself and God responded with outer cleansing and inner transformation!
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Thanks, Sharon! Yes, Naaman got a far deeper healing than he’d ever have expected.
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You had me captivated in the first paragraph! Well done Lesley.
Blessings,
Jennifer
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such a good word here! thank you for sharing!! glad to have found you from crystalstorms.me link up!
mariel
marieldavenport.com
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Thanks, Mariel!
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