In the Bible small, unimportant people often have big roles to play. The story of the healing of Naaman is an example of this. We read his story in 1 Kings 5. Living in Aram, Naaman was a commander in the country’s army., but he had leprosy. It was a young captive girl from Israel working for his wife who told him where he could be cured. She was only an insignificant serving girl in a foreign country but she had the boldness to speak up for her God.
But things didn’t go smoothly. The king sent a message to the king of Israel thinking it was he who would heal him. The important people needed to be written out of the story. Healing would come through God through the prophet Elisha. Then it was the insignificant servant who urged Naaman to swallow his pride and wash in the insignificant river Jordan.
This story doesn’t have a happy ending. The servant of Elisha, also insignificant, is greedy. Although Elisha will not accept any gifts for the healing Gehazi decides he wants wealth for himself. His punishment is for the leprosy to be passed on to him. Greed doesn’t pay! .