Jesus told us that the love of money is the root of all evil. Tucked into the Old Testament is a perfect example of this truth. Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, lived long ago, but his greed is relevant to us today as the targets of billions of advertising dollars spent to create “needs.” Yes, there’s greed in this story, but Gehazi’s decisions show a severe self-sufficiency that take him to an awful end.
About this Message
2 Kings 5 is part of a bigger story that includes the healing of General Naaman of leprosy. Enjoy God’s economic use of His Scriptures to teach and illustrate multiple truths.
Greed runs from Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6) to the apostle John’s warning from the island of Patmos (I John 2:15-16). How would you summarize the message?
“Don’t be greedy!” What does Matthew 6:19-34 offer us in this heart-battle?
Go Deeper Questions
If you were able to run along with Gehazi on his mad pursuit of Naaman’s riches, and you both stopped at a rest area to catch your breath, what would you say to him to get him to stop the chase? If you were with him on the return, what would you say or do?
Like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings, what do you look at and whisper, “my precious?”
If the Enemy wanted to distract you with materialism, which sales might entice you? What “hoped-for things” have your heart in their grasp?
With so many enticements, how do you maintain any sense of contentment?
Hymn by Helen H. Lemmel Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
In your experience, what specific “things of earth have grown strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace?”