2 Kings 5:20-27
Gehazi’s Greed
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’”
23 So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him. 24 When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25 Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?”
And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
We see the effects of greed when Elisha’s servant Gehazi took it on himself to lie on behalf of the prophet who served God at no monetary cost (2 Kings 5:15, 16) and then talk Naaman the Syrian out of money and clothing for payment of what he had been told was the free work of the LORD. He chased Naaman down to extort a false payment for his own gain in his greed as if it was for missionary work of some visiting prophets. Some still practice this fleecing for grace instead of offering their service to the Lord freely and will likewise answer for their greed as Gehazi did here. He continued to lie to Elisha instead of confessing his greed and suffered a horrible retribution of leprosy, making him an outcast who would not be able to enjoy the riches he swindled out of Naaman since nobody would come near him, let alone sell him anything or do any business with the infected man. Greed earns the retribution of sin’s (Romans 6:23) consequences. We are called to beware this type of dishonesty for personal gain (1 Timothy 3:3, 8, 1 Peter 5:2) and especially in the name of God’s work or even worse in the position as a leader of the flock.
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