2 Kings 5:1-14
This weekend we are celebrating the freedom we enjoy in this great nation, amid the fireworks, cookouts and family reunions let us take also a moment to reflect not only on our history and national pride but also on our spiritual life and the principles this nation is founded on, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Today’s Scripture is about Naaman, a powerful general of the Syrian army, who needed healing and received it in the most surprising way, foreign God, foreign prophet and foreign advisers.
Verse 1 tells us: “Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded -and the writer continues saying- but he had leprosy.” Here we have the story of a man with military success, political favor, and national honor. A man who is a symbol of his country’s power—but he is also deeply broken.
In many ways, Naaman reflects the story of United States. We are strong, prosperous, and influential. But if we’re honest, we must admit we have wounds beneath the surface—divisions, moral confusion, and spiritual emptiness… among other wounds. From Naaman’s story, we can learn that true strength and national renewal do not come from power or pride, but through humility, obedience, and most of all God’s grace.
Regardless of his power and status this successful general was experiencing brokenness. As well as this successful man, no nation, -no matter how powerful can be-, is immune to brokenness. We may look strong on the outside, but without God’s healing touch, we remain spiritually unwell.
In verses 2 and 3, we are introduced to a young Israelite girl, who was taken captive during one of many raids carried out by the Syrian army. Despite the suffering inflicted by Naaman’ army, this foreigner shows remarkable compassion. She tells her mistress about the prophet in Samaria who could heal Naaman. Let us remember, Naaman and his army was the one who raided her country and possible killed her family. This unnamed slave girl, torn by force from her nation becomes the voice of hope, the voice of a God and a prophet who maybe was unknown for this man; this marginalized, unknown and maybe mistreated member of the Syrian society brought a message of healing to those who were in power. God used this foreigner to lead Naaman to the man of God, so, he can receive the knowledge, mercy and healing of God.
On this 4th of July, as we reflect on national greatness, we must not ignore the humble and overlooked voices in our land. Often, it is the poor, the oppressed, the children, and the forgotten who point us back to God’s way. God doesn’t just speak from the top down; He often speaks from the margins. According to Gustavo Gutiérrez, -the father of the Theology of liberation in L.A- the poor and oppressed can lead us back to God by revealing God’s justice, presence, and call to action. Through solidarity with them, we are converted, challenged, and brought into deeper communion with Christ. The poor and oppressed -Gutierrez say- lead us back to God because they are the privileged place of God’s presence and revelation. Their struggle for justice, dignity, and hope reveals to all of us the true meaning of the Kingdom of God.
After the slave girl told Naaman about Elisha, he arrives to Samaria where the prophet of God lived. He did it with his horses, chariots, and gifts ready for a grand healing. However, he did not go to where the girl said, the man of God. He went to the king of Israel who was afraid because he thought this was a trap.
Verses 8 to 10 say, “When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be cleansed.”
The prophet Elisha didn’t even come out to meet him! He simply sends the message.
Naaman was furious. He says: “I thought he would surely come out to me… wave his hand over the spot… Are not the rivers of Damascus better than any of the waters of Israel?”
Like Naaman, our nation frequently seeks elaborate and complex displays and solutions for our political, social, and economic challenges; we often attempt to address issues through the exercise of power, such as warfare or the implementation of increasingly stringent laws. But what if God is calling us to simple solutions like obedience? What if the key to our social and spiritual healing isn’t in grand strategies, but simple in returning to basic righteousness like truth, humility, kindness, and justice? Or as Micah 6:8 says: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And… what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
When Naaman walked away angry 13 Naaman’s servant 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’!” 14 So he 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.
Once again, God spoke and led the powerful and proud Naaman using the voice of those who had no voice, his servant. Because Naaman listened to the slave girl and his servant, God was able to heal him. He also humbled himself and obeyed the prophet’s simple command—and he was transformed. Verse 14 says: “His flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” But, more than just his skin was healed… his heart changed. In verse 15 we read, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”
On this Fourth of July, we need more than cookouts and fireworks; we need heart-level healing in our nation. A deep emotional and spiritual renewal that touches the core of our being. A spiritual renewal that comes when we truly listen to each other, when we listen specially to those crying to God our Creator for justice, mercy and protection and sincerely repent of all our wrongdoings, and wholeheartedly obey the commandments given to us by Jesus.
As we continue celebrating our freedom, let’s give thanks for our blessings, but let us not forget that whenever God bless us, is to be a blessing to others. As part of our celebration let not lose sight of our deep need for God.
Let’s humble ourselves as people, let us listen to God’s voice, even when his voice comes from unexpected places and people. Gustavo Gutiérrez, the Peruvian priest and theologian, reminds us of something far more uncomfortable and political, and far more biblical: if you want to listen God’s voice, look into the eyes of the poor, the marginalized,-and I will add- into the eyes of those who -as Abraham- have left their home and family because through them God wants to bless others. As part of our Fourth of July celebration, let’s ask as nation: What “Jordan River” is God calling us to step into? What act of obedience might bring healing to our families, our churches, and our country?
Naaman’s story reminds us: true freedom and healing come not from pride or power, but from God’s mercy and our humble obedience.
Closing Prayer
Lord, on this weekend when we are still celebrating freedom, remind us that true liberty comes from You. Heal us from the inside out—as individuals, families, churches, and as nation. Teach us to humble ourselves, to obey You, and to listen even to the voices we tend to ignore, persecute and marginalized. Let this be a day not only of celebration, but of renewal in You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
