Towards Sunday, July 3, 2016

Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-14 (The army of Aram, a neighbouring kingdom to Israel, has defeated Israel in battle and killed King Ahab -- seen in the story as God's will, because of Ahab's wickedness.  The commander of the army of Aram is Namaan, who is a great warrior but also suffers leprosy.  Namaan's wife has an Israelite slave girl who tells Namaan of Elisha, a prophet of God in Israel who is able to heal, so with the permission of his king, Namaan goes to the new king of Israel to ask for healing.  The new king knows nothing about healing, so he is afraid this is a trick to start even more battles against Israel, but when Elisha hears about Namaan he sends a message for Namaan to come and see him.  Namaan does, but when Elisha does not treat him with the respect Namaan feels he deserves as a great commander of a victorious army, he refuses to do what the prophet tells him to do, to be healed -- until his own servants talk him into a little more humility, he finally does what Elisha told him to do, and he is healed.)

Great story!  And so true to life as we still know it:  kings and generals skilled at controlling armies and the world, prone to miscommunication, misunderstanding and misguided action ... non-governmental forces and personalities doing the real work of healing in the world ... little people of the world as the ones who really make it all happen.

Who is the hero of the story?

• Namaan, the commander of the foreign army who is used by God to help kill King Ahab and set things right in Israel?
• Elisha, the prophet who treats fellow-citizen and foreigner alike, who is willing to help heal even the man who killed his country's king?
• the slave-girl who cares deeply enough for her owner-mistress and master that she lets them know where he can go for healing?
• the king of Aram, who cares for his top commander enough that he risks losing him by sending him to an enemy's court on the off-chance he can be healed there?
• Namaan's servants who take the risk of calling him out on his pride, to try to talk him into doing what he thinks is beneath him? 

Lots of heroic behaviour all round ... a wide variety of characters who all do something to make the story turn out right.  Everyone, that is, except the king of Israel, who does little but quiver in fear and suspicion of others' motives.  Everyone else is either unexpectedly used by God to some good end, or acts in some way above and beyond the call of duty, and because of it the story turns out as it does.

So ... if you were casting this story as a movie, what role would you want your lead actor or actress for?  What character would you want to draw most attention to, and most sympathy for?

If you could be a character in the story, whose role would you most easily or naturally play?