Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” (2 Kings 5:13).
Heavenly Father, Creator God, You are the One who gave humans mouths and speech (Exodus 4:11). And You instruct us thoroughly about the power of the tongue.
Your word tells us that the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18). We often see that truth confirmed in examples of kindness, compassion and empathy. But in the richness of Your word and its application, we see a new and literal example in the account of Naaman's healing.
When an affronted Naaman almost forfeited the miracle of healing (2 Kings 5:10-12), his servants dared to intervene. With the tongue of the wise they spoke reason to his pride, and convinced him to accept the simple means to healing he considered beneath his dignity.
As a result of their wise counsel, Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy (2 Kings 5:14). That, in turn, brought glory to Your name: [Naaman] stood before [the man of God] and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel (2 Kings 5:15).
O Lord, You know all the Naaman circumstances in our personal, professional and general lives. Guard our own hearts against hubris and self-importance. Help us to apply wisdom from Your word as we face relational and communication challenges. Teach us to navigate through barriers of pride, arrogance, and inflexibility with the tongue of the wise.
Give us a well-instructed tongue (Isaiah 50:4). Give us the courage to speak hard truths— with wisdom and respect—to self-defeating choices and detrimental decisions. Help us to influence outcomes in ways that facilitate healing solutions and bring glory to Your name.
Comentários