You May Get Something!

2 Kings 5:20
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.

I never understood why my Mother didn’t allow me to accept everything from everybody. As a child, whenever we went to visit other people and they offered us something to eat or if one of our cousin’s gave us a toy, Mama would sometimes say, “no they don’t need it! Thanks anyway.” I would be so angry because I was hungry or I was coveting that toy.” My mother knew how to discern what was needed and not needed. She was able to distinguish when people were offering something out of obligation or if there were strings attached. As a child, I had to learn how to respect her decisions even when I didn’t understand.

There are times when you are not supposed to take stuff from other people because of what comes with it. Everything that is offered, you are not supposed to take no matter how appealing it might look. I was watching a video with Marsha Ambrosius, entitled, “Late Nights & Early Mornings”. In the video, there are two couples who are getting ready to make love or have sex. Above their heads are + and – signs on one couple and two – signs on the other. The couple with the + and – signs have unprotected sex and then at the end of the video there is + and + over each heads. AIDS in the African-American community is an epidemic because many of us are pursuing accepting something we never should have chased down.

Elisha the prophet heals an enemy commander of Leprosy. The man is so grateful for his healing that he offers Elisha some silver and some clothing. Elisha has discernment that he doesn’t want anything from his enemy because God is his provider and he doesn’t want what was associated with this idol worshipper. Elisha’s servant couldn’t understand why Elisha didn’t take the silver and the clothes. He’s thinking, “I could use this money and some new outfits. “ So he decides to run after this man and ask him for what Elisha didn’t take.

When he gets back Elisha asks him where he’s been. He says, “Nowhere!” Elisha says, “My spirit was with you when you asked him for the silver and the clothes.” Wow! Did you know that God’s spirit is with you whenever you are accepting anything he told you not to get?!

The servant said, “I’m going to run after him and get something from him.” Be careful what you say because that’s exactly what he got…something. Elisha told him as a result of his disobedience he got the Leprosy that Naaman got cured of and it would stay with his family forever.

1. Never accept anything from somebody who’s infected. You need to know the background of the people you are dealing with before you have an intimate exchange that can stay with you forever. The safest sex is abstinence until you’re married.

2. Never chase anybody down that is already left to get something from them. When you catch up to them you may get what they got.

3. Listen to the man of God and obey even if at first you don’t agree. They see something you don’t.

Dear God,

Don’t let me chase down something I’m not supposed to have. I trust you that when you say no, you have something better for me. Give me discernment to know when to receive and when to let go. Thank you for not allowing me to be so desperate to chase down the wrong person. I’m listening to you Lord.

In Jesus Name,
Amen