2 Kings 5:16-20: a reflection

16But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused. 17Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ load of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18In this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.” 19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way. 20But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”

When the healed Naaman presses gifts on Elisha, the prophet firmly refuses to take anything, unwilling to turn God's free grace into personal profit; but his servant Gehazi, coveting the reward, secretly runs after it. As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none, Elisha says, refusing Naaman's gift though pressed to take it. Naaman, healed by God through Elisha, wanted to reward the prophet richly. But Elisha would not receive anything; he would not turn the free grace of God, which had healed Naaman, into a means of personal profit. God's grace was free; it was not for sale, and Elisha would not take payment for it. But his servant Gehazi, coveting the reward, secretly ran after Naaman to take something. This shows refusing to turn God's free grace into personal profit, over against greed. God's grace is free, not to be turned into personal profit. Refuse the greed that would profit from what God gives freely. What God gives freely is not for sale; do not make merchandise of it. Serve and give freely, as God's grace is freely given.

Notice the contrast between Elisha and Gehazi. Naaman, having been healed by God's grace through Elisha, wanted to reward the prophet, pressing gifts on him. But Elisha firmly refused: I will receive none. He would not take payment or profit for what God had done freely; the grace that healed Naaman was God's free gift, not something Elisha would turn into personal gain or make merchandise of. He served God's grace freely, and would not sell it. But his servant Gehazi thought differently. Coveting the reward Elisha had refused, he secretly ran after Naaman to take something for himself, turning to personal profit what his master had freely declined. This holds a warning about greed and God's free grace. God's grace is free; what he gives, he gives freely, and it is not for sale or for personal profit. There is a temptation, like Gehazi's, to try to turn God's free gifts and grace, our service of him, the good he does through us, into personal gain, to profit from what should be given freely. But this is a corruption, a greed that makes merchandise of what God gives freely. Elisha shows the better way: to serve and give freely, refusing the greed that would profit from God's free grace. We do well to serve and give freely, as God's grace is freely given, refusing the greed that would turn it into personal profit. Serve and give freely, as God's grace is freely given. Refuse the greed that would turn God's free grace into personal profit. What God gives freely is not for sale; do not make merchandise of it. Beware the Gehazi in the heart, that covets gain from what should be free.

That is worth taking to heart, for God's grace is free and not to be turned into personal profit, and we do well to refuse the greed that would profit from it, as Elisha refused Naaman's gift while Gehazi coveted it. We can be tempted, like Gehazi, to profit from what God gives freely; but Elisha refused payment for God's free grace, unwilling to make merchandise of it. Give freely. Do not turn God's free grace or your service of him into personal profit; serve and give freely, refusing the greed that would make merchandise of what God gives freely. Serve and give freely, as God's grace is freely given, refusing the greed that would turn what God gives freely into personal profit, as when the healed Naaman pressed gifts on Elisha the prophet firmly refused to take anything, unwilling to turn God's free grace into personal profit, but his servant Gehazi, coveting the reward, secretly ran after it, since Elisha said he would receive none though pressed to take it; for Naaman, healed by God through Elisha, wanted to reward the prophet richly, but Elisha would not receive anything or turn the free grace of God that had healed Naaman into a means of personal profit, God's grace being free and not for sale, while his servant Gehazi, coveting the reward, secretly ran after Naaman to take something, which holds a warning about greed and God's free grace, that God's grace is free and what he gives he gives freely and it is not for sale or personal profit, there being a temptation like Gehazi's to try to turn God's free gifts and grace and our service of him into personal gain and profit from what should be given freely, but this is a corruption and a greed that makes merchandise of what God gives freely, so that Elisha shows the better way, to serve and give freely and refuse the greed that would profit from God's free grace, and we do well to do the same.

Lord, when the healed Naaman presses gifts on Elisha, the prophet firmly refuses to take anything, unwilling to turn your free grace into personal profit; but his servant Gehazi, coveting the reward, secretly runs after it. As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none, Elisha says, refusing Naaman's gift though pressed to take it. Naaman, healed by you through Elisha, wanted to reward the prophet richly. But Elisha would not receive anything; he would not turn the free grace of you, which had healed Naaman, into a means of personal profit. Your grace was free; it was not for sale, and Elisha would not take payment for it. But his servant Gehazi, coveting the reward, secretly ran after Naaman to take something. Show me the contrast between Elisha and Gehazi. Naaman, having been healed by your grace through Elisha, wanted to reward the prophet. But Elisha firmly refused: I will receive none. He would not take payment or profit for what you had done freely; the grace that healed Naaman was your free gift, not something Elisha would turn into personal gain or make merchandise of. He served your grace freely, and would not sell it. But his servant Gehazi thought differently. Coveting the reward Elisha had refused, he secretly ran after Naaman to take something for himself. This holds a warning about greed and your free grace. Your grace is free; what you give, you give freely, and it is not for sale or for personal profit. There is a temptation, like Gehazi's, to try to turn your free gifts and grace, my service of you, the good you do through me, into personal gain. But this is a corruption, a greed that makes merchandise of what you give freely. Take that to my heart. Keep me from turning your free grace or my service of you into personal profit; help me serve and give freely, Lord, as your grace is freely given, refusing the greed that would make merchandise of what you give freely, and guarding against the Gehazi in my heart that covets gain from what should be free.