A Great Man — but a Leper
By Hart Hall
THE Lord was against Israel. Because of their sins He had become their enemy, to harass, to cut them down and to afflict them until, subdued, they would turn unto Him. And so He “had given deliverance unto Syria.” From the mountainous region where these sons of Ham abode, companies came down upon the peace-loving Israelites “like the wolf on the fold.” Of the struggle there is no record, but we read that the Syrians “brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid.” Whether there were other captives taken from Judah, we know not, but this little maid was made a slave and she “waited on Naaman’s wife.” What a chance for the blues, moping, discouragement, hatred, revenge! Made an orphan probably at her capture, and taken away into slavery as was Joseph, to serve a heathen people, with no hope for the future, did she mourn and bewail her fate? There can be no doubt that she did; it would be against all human nature not to do so. Joseph, when sold into a like fate, gave himself up for a time to uncontrollable weeping and despair. But later when the lad remembered the God of whom he had been taught, he resolved to do everything faithfully and trust in Him. Are you doing this? In your service—and who are not servants?—are you performing your part the best you can and trusting Him who controls all to untangle the mesh of life? This maid whom the inspired writer, with all his faithfulness to pedigree, did not think worthy to name, soon recovered her natural faith and cheerfulness. Her first recorded thoughts were of God and what He was able to do. And as she served the family day by day, she became acquainted with the terrible sorrow of the household—yes, and also of the nation—a great overmastering, crushing weight of wo that kept joy and hope away as unbidden guests. An artist has pictured the scene as it no doubt was. The mistress sits with her head in her arms that are resting upon a table, in utter despair and grief. The maid has witnessed her anguish many times, until it becomes to her sympathetic nature her grief, too. As her grief grew, so did her faith, and now she stands before her mistress, timidly offering counsel. Here the artist leaves us, but history takes up the tale: “And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” For Naaman was a leper. A timid voice, perhaps, but a strong statement; and for all we know it fell upon deaf ears so far as her mistress was concerned, for the voice of fate, louder than the babblings of youth and innocence, was speaking to her. But who did hear the maid’s remark?—A passing servant. Flying seed often strikes rich soil. Falling upon this servant’s ear, the words were pondered, and as he waited7upon his lord the king he repeated them, “Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.” If you would know the full story of Naaman’s healing, read it in 2 Kings 5. We turn to the text and the lesson. “Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, . . . but he was a leper.” “A great man”—the host of Syria was under him; all but the king were at his beck and call. The wealth of the nation he might use as he pleased; he was intelligent, noble in mind and bearing, a far-seeing statesman and a great general, “and honorable,” because the Lord could use him, but—he was a leper. The greatest curse of disease the world has ever known was upon him,—loathsome in its offensiveness, awful in its excruciating torture, frowning in the dread of its contagion, certain in its fatality. Soon he knew he would become unbearably loathsome to king and court. His robes would be stripped from him and burned, and alone or with those loved ones who might already have received the infection, he would be driven like a ravenous beast from the haunts of men. His great usefulness which so overbalanced now the risk of infection would be ended. He knew it, his wife knew it, the king knew it, the kingdom knew it. Perhaps you remember the story of his restoration to health. He went to the people of God and by washing seven times in Jordan was wholly restored. His flesh came to him again as in the bloom of youth. But leprosy is a type of sin, and sin comes easily, insidiously, stealthily, pleasantly, surely. And the infection of sin is everywhere; it is not confined to condition or climate, height of importance or depth of degradation. The heroic missionary to the lepers of Hawaii, after years of service in health and strength, was one day bathing his feet in unusually hot water when he noticed with alarm that there was an absence of feeling in one of his feet—he had contracted the disease. So with sin; it is indifference and absence of feeling of hope and faith that is a sure symptom of the disease. There have been many Naamans of the past who have been great. Saul the Tishbite stood head and shoulders above all Israel; his mind was great, he had a great call, a great opportunity, a great position, but he was a leper spiritually. Balaam was a great man and honorable; kings waited on his word and noblemen of the kingdom were his messengers. He was the seer of God and communed with Him intimately, but he was a leper at last in soul. So down through the ages we may read of these great men—Belshazzar, Alexander, Cæsar. And when we scan the New Testament pages, another leper’s record is given—that of Judas, an intelligent man and a capable man, with a wonderful opportunity, but a leper morally. We have them to-day, these great men who are lepers; we read of them in every paper, great masters of their positions, honored and trusted while the disease is covered; but the fatal day when the malady is disclosed comes, and the world knows they are lepers. With many the disease is tolerated or overlooked or covered up, but the victim, sure of the fate that awaits him, cries out pitifully in moments of remorse, “Unclean, unclean!” Then there is the unhappiness in the family because of this leprosy. “No man liveth unto himself, no man dieth unto himself.” Our influence may be of life unto life or death unto death. The infection of our example may spread rapidly in the character of another while it festers slowly in ours. The disease is everywhere. What is the remedy?—The same that the prophet gave to Naaman,—Go wash seven times. Not this time in Jordan, nor yet in Abana or Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, but in a stream that is nearer and deeper, and inexhaustible in its purity and efficacy. “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” Zech. 13:1. This is the stream; go wash, and be clean. Naaman refused when the prescription was sent out to him; it was too simple. Do you refuse also? There is no other remedy. Listen to the voice speaking to your heart. If one had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much rather then wash and be clean? The world rejects the simple way and tries the hard, fruitless method; but all the things of life which are priceless—love, life, happiness, hope, health, and the rest—are easily obtained by the simple way. I bid you, come as did the leper to Jesus, saying, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” The Master did not wait a moment, but cleansed him instantly. He never has waited to cleanse from sin, but answers, “I will; be thou clean.”