Do You Need To (Christian) Man Up? Naaman 2017.03.15

Since I share this out with brothers, I wanted to delve more into the commendable men of the Bible, but avoid the obvious powerhouses (Jesus, Paul, Moses, Job...). This is an attempt to help me as a christian man to help me relate more with the men of the Bible, and how relative my "current problems" are to their own. I wanted to pick men who may not be that well-known, or are just a small blurb in the bible and try to see how we may relate to them, good or bad. But this is meant to help us to draw closer to God and strengthen our character & resolve.


Note:

This does not mean that there are no powerful women, or that they come "second" - definitely not the case. I am grateful for the female examples in the Bible, and in my life. Again, this was approached as an attempt to get me to relate with the men of the Bible, since I am a man, and share this blog directly with other men.

Naaman is spoken of in 2 Kings 5 - He was a respected commander of an army, well respected by all and had leprosy. And through some occurrence, one of his servants told him where he could go to get healed. So with the Aram king's blessing, and a boatload of money & clothes, he went to go see the King of Israel first, and then Elisha.

Horses & chariots pull up in front of Elisha's home, and a messenger for Elisha comes & tells Naaman to wash himself seven times in the Jordan and he will be cured. But being a wordly man of power & stature, Naaman was upset because:
1) Elisha didn't come out himself
2) call out on the name of Elisha's God
3) and cure him right then & there.
He also complained about the river selection - "Why the Jordan?!? Abana, Pharpar or the rivers of Damascus are SOOOO MUCH BETTER than the Jordan!" And with no surprise, he rode off in a rage. And yet, his servant came to him to remind him of the real deal here - If a prophet tells you to do something, you listen! But how much more when it's for you?! And when he dipped himself 7 times, he was cured and had skin "like that of a young boy". He had the proper change of heart, claiming "that there is no God in all the world except in Israel".

A person doesn't have to be powerful to act entitled. Entitlement encompasses two attitudes:
1) I am exempt from responsibility
2) I am owed special treatment
In other words, I don't have to carry my own burdens, and should be treated differently. "Why couldn't they tell me themselves? Why do I need to do THAT?!?" We all have people like Naaman who just want what they want, in their own specific way, now! Friends, family, children... spouse?!?! How often have we thought of ourselves entitled , like Naaman?

This is a great reminder: Change happens in the presence of compassion.
Before we sigh when we deal with the "Naaman's" in our lives, before we point out their failings, remember that you are an even greater Naaman.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God


Romans 3:23


So how can we help the Naaman in our lives (and in ourselves)?

  • Be there "for" them.
Naaman's servants wanted him healed and didn't settle for less. "Entitled" people need support, but not in the way that they think. When they drive you crazy, frustrate you, they still require grace. (*sigh* i write it but have a hard time with it) How often did we "get it' when God gave us a second chance? Not many in comparison to the other times when we needed "the fiftieth chance", or to the things where we still haven't "gotten it" and we're hitting triple digits. But this will help you to have mercy & identify with the "entitled" person, helping you in keeping your distance from being judgmental or giving up too soon.

  • Stand for what you believe in\expect from them
The "entitled' have a hard time listening to requirements & to other's needs & expectations. Because those things don't support their view of themselves as special, or above the rules, they tend to dismiss them. You will need to stand strong against that dismissive attitude by being unmistakable in what you want from them. So if you need to "map out the steps", devise a payment plan, there is nothing wrong with being lovingly over-clear.

  • Find the "un-entitled"
You need to find people who are filled with truth & grace, and who can be a resource to your "entitled" friend (but also yourself!). This is supportive, and not enabling. But it also helps to keep your heart safe & pliable.

Just like leprosy, entitlement can be cured too. But we can't wave our hands over the problem and magically fix it. And we can't expect to get it right the first time. It will be a long & hard walk down the path to our own "Jordan river". But if we begin to follow scripture, and the principles I had pointed out, we can help those "entitled" to be made well.