Proper 9C, 3 July 2022, The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz.

2 Kings 5:1-14. Had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel and she served Naaman’s wife.
Galatians 6:1-16. “If anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a Spirit of gentleness….Bear one another’s burdens.
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20. Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

O God of dignity, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.

I’ve spent some time thinking about dignity in this past week as I continue to shudder at the dramatic disregard for the well-being of people whose right to bodily autonomy has been eliminated or severely jeopardized by the United States Supreme Court. Maybe you saw the guest opinion piece in last Sunday’s New York Times by Michele Goodwin, law professor at the University of California, who pointed out that in the Dodd decision, the majority of the Supreme Court failed to honor the 13th amendments which prohibits involuntary servitude and provides protection of bodily autonomy for Black women, and the 14th amendment which defend privacy and freedom. Goodwin wrote that “state-mandated pregnancy will exacerbate what are already alarming health and dignity harms, especially in states with horrific records of maternal mortality and morbidity.” [1] Her analysis was very present in my mind as I reflected on our reading for today from 2 Kings.

Second Kings is the second volume of a two-volume book about the history of the people of the One Whose name is too holy to pronounce, between the time of King David’s death and the Babylonian Exile. These were stories told from the perspective of exile about lessons learned and not learned. The book of Kings is about the moral failures of political leadership: the misdeeds and missteps, the ups and downs and twists and turns over the course of nearly 400 years that led to the loss of national identity and sovereignty. It’s ancient history that reads like it’s been ripped from the headlines of our own country not yet 250 years old.

Our portion for today is the story of the prophet Elisha’s encounter with the commander of an enemy army. Last week we heard the story of the end of Elijah’s earthly ministry and the transfer of power to Elisha who responded to Elijah’s question of what he might give to Elisha before he was taken up and away. What Elisha asked for was a hard thing: “a double portion of Elijah’s spirit,” or twice the mouth or edge of Elijah’s spirit. His request was granted because he kept his eyes on Elijah until Elijah was out of sight. Then Elisha took up Elijah’s mantle and used it to part the waters of the mighty Jordan river so that he could walk across.

As the years passed, Elisha racked up all kinds of miracles – of feeding, purifying polluted water, making spoiled stew edible again, multiplying loaves to feed the people (with bread to spare), providing resources for a poor widow, miracles of healing and even raising a boy from the dead. Elisha developed a reputation for improving terrible situations for people, restoring health and well-being. So even a young Israelite girl who had been captured, enslaved, and taken to enemy territory knew who would be able to help heal her enslaver of his skin disease. This young girl, carried off to attend the wife of the commander of the army of the king of Aram, wished out loud that Naaman could come before the prophet Elisha who was in Samaria. Even in exile and enslaved, this young girl was demonstrating faithfulness to the Holy One.

Naaman was at the point of being willing to try anything, so he asked his king for help getting to Israel to find Elisha. The king of Aram favored Naaman because of his victory in battle over Israel. So the king of Aram sent Naaman with a letter – an act of diplomacy, and Naaman took that along with ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. But when the king of Israel read the letter, he interpreted it as a provocation and a trap. He was offended and afraid. As an expression of despair and grief in the face of death, the king of Israel tore his clothing. That made the news. Clothing was very expensive. Elisha heard about it and asked the king of Israel, “why are you so freaked out?” (that’s not a literal translation, but it gets at the meaning) “Let Naaman come to me so that he will learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman and his entourage headed to Elisha’s house in Samaria. They got as far as the entrance when Elisha’s messenger came out and told Naaman to go wash in the Jordan seven times and his skin would be healed (seven is the holiest number in the first testament, it conveys the idea of completion, perfection, wholeness and holiness).

But now it was Naaman’s turn to be offended. He was insulted because Elisha did not meet him in person – he expected VIP treatment. He was also insulted by Elisha’s advice that he travel to the muddy Jordan River when there were much better (cleaner) rivers where he came from. Naaman thought Elisha would wave his hand and Naaman would be healed. His personal and his national pride were wounded. Enraged, he walked away, but his servants persuaded him to give it a try. It worked. But that is not the end of the story. Naaman headed back to Samaria with his entire retinue, to confess to Elisha his newfound faith in the God of Israel. He wanted to pay Elisha, but Elisha refused, lest Naaman misinterpret God’s gift. Then Naaman asked for permission to take two mule-loads of dirt from Israel so he could stand on its holiness when he worshiped the God of Israel. He also thought to ask for a pardon in advance, because he knew his king would require him to bow down in the temple of Rimmon (also known as Baal). Elisha didn’t give consent or condemnation; he just responded, lech l’shalom: usually translated “go in peace.” But it can also be translated “go to peace” and “go for peace.” It’s a beautiful benediction for a commander of an enemy army.

Even that is not the end of the story. Naaman departed but had not gone very far when Elisha’s servant named Gehazi had an idea. (Gehazi means valley of avarice or valley of vision – neither one is good.) Gehazi said to himself, “Elisha has let this enemy Aramean Naaman off too lightly. He should have accepted payment. We could use the money and that guy is loaded. I’m going to get something from him if Elisha won’t,” and Gehazi took off after Naaman. Naaman saw Gehazi running after him and jumped down from his chariot to greet him. He asked whether something was wrong. Gehazi said casually, “nothing’s wrong, but my master sent me to tell you that two young men just showed up from the hill country from Ephraim, prophets in training [i.e. they are poor], and they could use some support. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.” Naaman said, “of course! I’ll give you two talents of silver and two sets of clothes and two servants to carry the gifts back.”

When they got back Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and stowed them. Then Gehazi returned to his master and stood before him. Elisha asked, “So, what have you been up to Gehazi?” “Oh not much,” Gehazi answered. Elisha said, “Didn’t you know I was with you in spirit when that man stepped down from his chariot to greet you? This is not the time to accept silver or clothes. Elisha added, “this is not the time to accept olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and servants,” (in other words, what that money could buy). Because of your disloyalty and dishonor, Naaman’s skin disease will now infect you and your family, with no relief in sight.” Gehazi walked away, his skin flaky and white like snow.

In this morality tale, Naaman, the outsider got well when he found faith, and Gehazi, the insider got unwell when he was unfaithful – when he sold out on truth and trust for two bags of silver and two sets of clothing. But even that is not the end of the story. In the Talmud, the teaching goes that Elisha was censured for having been too harsh in his response to Gehazi, punishing Gehazi with both hands, rather than rebuking Gehazi with one hand and drawing him back into the beloved community with the other, a rule to follow so that the sinner doesn’t despair of the possibility of atonement in the spirit of gentleness that Paul was talking about. This is a morality tale to help those experiencing the tragedy of captivity see that through faithfulness, a greater good may be realized. Biblical theologian Leung Seow points out that this is a story about the broad reach of the saving grace of the Holy One, extending to outsiders and even enemies. It’s a story about how healing comes through listening deeply (which is the root of the word obedience) and how dis-ease and dis-grace come through refusing to listen deeply. Like so many stories of Jesus, healing comes to outsiders before a confession of faith, not after, and that makes some people of faith so angry. When the whole story is told, it also becomes a stern warning against deceit and unscrupulous accumulation of wealth.

What is at stake underneath all of this, it seems to me, is dignity, and the Bible’s insistence on the inherent value and worth of the created order, made in the image of the Divine. When we honor another’s dignity, we honor our own at the same time, and we honor God. Psychologist Donna Hicks studies and writes about dignity and the role it plays in conflict resolution. She says that when we pay attention to one another’s dignity, we create a culture that brings out the best in everyone. She points out that studies show that injury to dignity shows up in the brain in the same place as physical wounds, and that violations of dignity do not just occur at the individual level, but can be perpetuated and amplified by the cultures of communities, institutions, and societies. She acknowledges that there is nothing easy about honoring the inherent dignity of others when one’s own dignity has been injured, but there is no more potent medicine than honoring dignity to resolve conflict and enmity. Elisha and Jesus and the Apostle Paul all knew the importance of dignity. Our readings from Galatians and Luke both seem to me to be instructive about living dignified lives and respecting the dignity of others. Carry them with you into the days and weeks to come and “let us not grow wearing in doing what is right and whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all.”