Week 15 2 Kings
After his stunning & miraculous healing from leprosy Naaman offered Elisha a big cash reward but then got his second surprise of the day when Elisha told him: as surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.
Standing there listening Gehazi was surprised too and figured Elisha was crazy to refuse the money: my master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him. So Gehazi chased down Naaman and got the reward.
Even though Gehazi lied to Elisha his master knew what was going on. Elisha asked him: is this the time to receive money and clothing and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and servants?
It’s an interesting question: is this the time to receive money?
If Gehazi was a modern-day Albertan he would say yes (anytime is a good time).
But the answer to Elisha’s question was no. Now isn’t the time to receive money.
So I’m left wondering what all determines the timing of monetary acquisition.
I heard about a business major who inexplicably left Alberta to help in a small church in a country in southeast Asia. And I figure it’s a pretty safe bet to say that at some point this guy asked himself Elisha’s question: is this the right time for me to be making money?
Note: quotes from 2 Kings 5:16, 20, 26 (NLT).