Surprising Prophets

Rev. Dr. Mark Doty

Laurel Heights UMC

San Antonio, Texas

July 3, 2022

SURPRISING PROPHETS

2 KINGS 5:1-14

          THIS MORNING AS WE ARE PRAYING ABOUT AND THINKING OF PASTOR LISA’S HEALTH AND HER SABBATICAL WITH JIM, I AM ALSO REMEMBERING MY FIRST SABBATICAL.  MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT PRIOR TO MOVING BACK TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2020, I PASTORED A UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST CONGREGATION IN MAINE FOR NINETEEN YEARS.  DURING A SUMMER IN THE EARLY 2000s, I SPENT A WEEK OF THAT TIME OF RENEWAL AND REFRESHMENT ATTENDING A CLASS IN “PUBLIC MINISTRY” ON THE CAMPUS OF PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.  THE TEACHER OF THE CLASS WAS THE REV. DONNA SCHAPER,  A PASTOR IN NEW YORK CITY WHO IS OCCASIONALLY IN THE NEWS DUE TO HER BRAVE SOCIAL JUSTICE POSITIONS.

          ON THE FIRST DAY OF OUR CLASS IN “PUBLIC MINISTRY,” OR WHAT COULD ALSO BE CALLED “PROPHETIC MINISTRY,” ABOUT A DOZEN OF US PASTORS GATHERED IN A CIRCLE.  DONNA ASKED EACH OF US TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES BY SAYING WHAT WE HAD DONE IN PUBLIC MINISTRY.  THE FIRST TO SPEAK WAS A WOMAN WHOM  I ALREADY HAD MY EYE ON.  WANDA WAS A SWEET LOOKING 60-ISH WOMAN WHO WALKED HEAVILY ON A CANE AND WHO LOOKED AS IF SHE HAD STRUGGLED WITH WEIGHT ISSUES ALL OF HER LIFE.  WANDA HAD THE MOST ANGELIC SMILE YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE.  I WAS IMMEDIATELY DRAWN TO HER.

          WANDA BEGAN HER STORY MODESTLY.  “WELL,” SHE SAID, “I HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING IN PUBLIC MINISTRY, BUT I HAVE BEEN A FOSTER MOTHER TO 90 CHILDREN.”  WE ALL GASPED AND SAID TOGETHER, “YOU HAVE DONE PUBLIC MINISTRY!!!”  THEN WANDA TOLD US SHE HAD BEEN AN ABUSED SPOUSE FOR MANY YEARS—ALL THE WHILE TRYING TO PROVIDE COMFORT AND SECURITY AND LOVE TO SEVERAL  GENERATIONS OF FOSTER CHILDREN.  AT THAT VERY MOMENT, WANDA TOLD US SHE WAS CARING FOR TWO TODDLERS WHO NEEDED A HOME.

          WHEN HER HUSBAND KNOCKED HER DOWN AND CAUSED HER TO HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE, WANDA FINALLY DIVORCED HIM.  THEN WANTING TO GET A NEW START, SHE MOVED TO A LITTLE TOWN IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CALLED FT. BRAGG.  WANDA BEGAN ATTENDING A SMALL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.  WHAT EVERYONE IN THAT CONGREGATION SEEMED TO LOVE WAS THAT WANDA AND HER KIDS FILLED UP TWO PEWS!  THAT TINY CHURCH, SHE SAID, WAS SUCH AN UNLIKELY PLACE, BECAUSE THE WOMAN WHO DESIGNED THE BANNERS FOR THE WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL WAS A MEMBER, AS WELL AS A WOMAN WHO WAS A WORLD-FAMOUS THEOLOGIAN.

          AFTER A SHORT TIME, WANDA WAS APPROACHED BY SEVERAL CHURCH LEADERS ASKING IF SHE WOULD BECOME THEIR PASTOR.  SHE WAS THUNDERSTRUCK!  WANDA TOLD THEM SHE HAD NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE, BUT IF THEY THOUGHT SHE COULD DO IT, SHE WOULD GIVE IT A TRY.  SO BEGAN A TIME OF JUGGLING SCHEDULES BETWEEN HER CHARGES AND THE CHURCH RESPONSIBLIITIES.  FOR A FEW WEEKS EACH SUMMER, WANDA ATTENDED A PASTOR’S SCHOOL  SHE REALLY TOOK TO IT AND FREELY ADMITTED SHE HAD A LOT TO LEARN.  BUT THE CONGREGATION RESPONDED MIGHTILY TO HER KINDLY WAYS.  I TOO FELL IN LOVE WITH WANDA THAT WEEK AND TOLD HER I WANTED HER TO ADOPT ME!  TRUTH BE TOLD, I BADE FAREWELL TO THIS SURPRISING  PROPHET WITH THE GREATEST RELUCTANCE. 

          A YEAR LATER I WAS ASKED BY THE PASTOR OF A NEARBY CHURCH IF I COULD SPEAK ON A PANEL ABOUT SERVING AN OPEN AND AFFIRMING  CONGREGATION.  SO RIGHT AFTER WORSHIP THAT DAY, I JUMPED INTO MY CAR AND HEADED TO ORONO.  AS THE PANELISTS BEGAN TO GATHER, IN CAME THE PASTOR GUIDING TWO WOMEN, WHOM SHE INTRODUCED AS LINDA AND KATHY WARNER.  “I MET THESE TWO LADIES ONLY YESTERDAY AT A HOLY UNION.  I ASKED THEM IF ONE OF THEM COULD JOIN OUR PANEL.  LINDA AGREED.”

          SO EACH PANELIST WAS ASKED TO TELL HIS OR HER STORY.  I WENT FIRST AND TOLD HOW THE CHURCH I SERVED BECAME OFFICIALLY ONA IN 2004.  SEVERAL OTHERS SPOKE, AND THEN IT WAS LINDA’S TURN.  SHE SAID SOMETHING LIKE THIS:  “MY WIFE, KATHY, AND I MOVED TO THE LITTLE TOWN OF FT. BRAGG, CALIFORNIA, A FEW YEARS AGO.  WE SOON BECAME INVOLVED IN A SMALL, BUT VERY ACTIVE, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.  INCREDIBLY, ONE WOMAN IN THE CONGREGATION HAD DESIGNED THE BANNERS FOR THE WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL AND ANOTHER WOMAN WAS A WORLD-FAMOUS THEOLOGIAN.”

          WELL, I DIDN’T HEAR ANOTHER WORD!  I SUDDENLY KNEW WHAT THE PHRASE “HAVING KITTENS” IS ALL ABOUT!  WHEN OUR PRESENTATION WAS OVER, I RACED TO LINDA AND KATHY WITH THE QUESTION OF THE HOUR:  “DO YOU KNOW WANDA???”  THEIR FACES LIT UP.  “WANDA IS OUR PASTOR.  WANDA IS OUR DEAREST FRIEND!  HOW DO YOU KNOW HER?”  WHEN I EXPLAINED, THE TWO OF THEM EXCITEDLY TOLD ME TO COME TO DINNER, AND SAID THAT WE WOULD CALL WANDA—WHICH WE DID!  SINCE THEN, LINDA (WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY) AND KATHY BECAME MY VERY DEAR FRIENDS.  WHAT AMAZING JOY TO BE AGAIN CONNECTED TO A “SURPRISING PROPHET,” A WOMAN WHO REALLY NEVER THOUGHT OF HERSELF THAT WAY, BUT WHO HAD A SMALL ARMY OF DISCIPLES AND 90 CHILDREN WHO ABSOLUTELY BELIEVED SHE WAS!

          OUR SCRIPTURE LESSON TODAY IS ALSO ABOUT “SURPRISING PROPHETS”; IT’S ABOUT ARROGANCE AND HUMILITY, AS WELL AS POWER AND FREEDOM.  WHEN THE PASSAGE FROM 2 KINGS OPENS, WE ARE INTRODUCED TO A MAN WHO IS USED TO BEING IN CHARGE, GENERAL NAAMAN.  THE TEXT TELLS US HE IS THE COMMANDER OF THE KING’S ARMY.  NAMAAN IS “A GREAT MAN,” ACCORDING TO THE PASSAGE, WHO FOUND “HIGH FAVOR” WITH KING ARAM DUE TO HIS WAR RECORD.

          BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM, AN ISSUE THAT IS LIKE A CLOUD ON A SUNNY DAY.  THIS DISTINGUISHED WARRIOR, THIS ONE WHO MOVES IN “THE ZONE OF GREATNESS” (Walter Brueggemann),  HAS LEPROSY.  TO BE SURE, THIS SKIN DISEASE, WHICH CAN PRODUCE SHOCKING DISFIGUREMENT, HAS BEEN DREADED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME.  AND WE CAN ONLY WONDER AT HOW GENERAL NAAMAN MUST HAVE SUFFERED FROM AN AILMENT THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HIDE.

          BUT INTO THIS WORLD OF KINGLY POWER COMES A SURPRISING PROPHET–A YOUNG GIRL, A CAPTIVE FROM  ISRAEL WHO SERVES NAAMAN’S WIFE.  THE IRONY IS THAT FOR ALL HIS PRESTIGE AND POWER AND MONEY, THE GENERAL STILL CANNOT FIND A CURE FOR HIS LEPROSY.  AND SO THE YOUNG SLAVE GIRL TELLS HER MISTRESS THAT IF HER MASTER WOULD GO TO THE PROPHET IN SAMARIA, ELISHA, HE WOULD BE HEALED.

          THIS IS DEFINITELY SURPRISING NEWS, AND IN MANY WAYS, IT IS EVEN MORE SURPRISING THAT THE GENERAL BELIEVES HER.  AND SO THE TEXT TELLS US THAT NAAMAN GOES TO ARAM AND INFORMS HIM OF THE YOUNG WOMAN’S STATEMENT.  THE KING TELLS HIS COMMANDER TO GO, THAT HE WILL PROVIDE A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION TO THE KING OF ISRAEL.

          IF THIS ACTION DOESN’T SEEM CHARACTERISTIC OF A MAN WHO CALLS ALL THE SHOTS, THE NEXT PARAGRAPH REMINDS US THAT NAAMAN IS ACCUSTOMED TO THE BEST TREATMENT.  THE MAN WANTS MASS. GENERAL AND MAYO’S AND THE CLEVELAND CLINIC ALL IN ONE!  AND SO 2 KINGS TELLS US THAT THE GREAT MILITARY LEADER SETS OUT FOR SAMARIA WITH “TEN TALENTS OF SILVER , SIX THOUSAND SHEKELS OF GOLD, AND TEN SETS OF GARMENTS” ALONG WITH HIS LETTER.  OBVIOUSLY THE MAN EXPECTS TO BUY A CURE AT A PREMIUM PRICE WHILE DRESSING THE PART AND LIVING IN LUXURIOUS SURROUNDINGS.  FOR GENERAL NAAMAN, “EVERYTHING CAN BE BOUGHT…WHEN YOU LIVE ON TOP OF THE WORLD” (Kathryn Matthews Huey, “Surprising Prophets,” Sermon Seeds).

          KING ARAM’S LETTER TO THE KING OF ISRAEL IS AS PRESUMPTUOUS AS THE GENERAL’S ACTIONS HAVE BEEN.  “[Y]OU MAY CURE HIM OF HIS LEPROSY,” THE LETTER READS.  IN HIS COMMENTARY ON THIS PASSAGE, WALTER BRUEGGEMANN SPEAKS OF THIS AS “HEALING ON DEMAND, BY ROYAL MEMO” (The Land:  Place as Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith). ANOTHER SCHOLAR WRITES OF “THE HOLLOWNESS OF SUCH ARROGANCE” (James Newsome, Texts for Preaching Year C).  BASED ON THE CONTENTS OF THE LETTER, THE KING OF ISRAEL BELIEVES THAT ARAM IS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DRAW HIM INTO BATTLE.  THE KING TEARS HIS ROBE AND NAAMAN IS LEFT WITHOUT A CURE.

          THE WRITER OF 2 KINGS IS SETTING UP A PARADOX:  PEOPLE WHO ARE POWERFUL LIKE NAAMAN BUT WHO ARE ULTIMATELY POWERLESS, AND POWERLESS PEOPLE–LIKE THE SLAVE GIRL–WHO ARE ULTIMATELY POWERFUL.  IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS CAPTIVE, THIS “NOBODY” THAT BRINGS THE GREAT GENERAL TO SAMARIA.  AND SO THE SUPREME COMMANDER FINDS HIS WAY TO THE HOME OF THE PROPHET ELISHA.  BUT INSTEAD OF COMING OUT TO GREET THE FABLED WARRIOR, ELISHA SENDS A MESSENGER WHO TELLS HIM:  “GO, WASH IN THE JORDAN SEVEN TIMES, AND YOUR FLESH WILL BE RESTORED AND YOU SHALL BE CLEAN.”   NAAMAN PERCEIVES HIS TREATMENT BY ELISHA TO BE SHABBY, AND HE BECOMES FURIOUS.  THE HOLLOWNESS OF HIS ARROGANCE BECOMES READILY APPARENT:  “I THOUGHT THAT FOR ME HE WOULD SURELY COME OUT, AND STAND AND CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD HIS GOD,  AND WOULD WAVE HIS HAND OVER THE SPOT, AND CURE THE LEPROSY.”  AS TO THE GENERAL’S TEMPER TANTRUM, BRUEGGEMANN SAYS THIS: “OBVIOUSLY, HE HAS BEEN WATCHING TOO MUCH TELEVISION….THE PROPHET ONLY SENDS AN LPN OUT WITH A PRESCRIPTION” (Testimony to Otherwise:  The Witness of Elijah and Elisha).  TRULY NAAMAN DOESN’T WANT THE JUNIOR VARSITY; ONLY THE VARSITY WILL DO!

          AND SO THE GENERAL, MIGHTILY OFFENDED AT NOT BEING RECEIVED MORE RESPECTFULLY, STALKS AWAY IN A RAGE.  BUT WHAT SAVES THE DAY–YET AGAIN–ARE NAAMAN’S SERVANTS.  THESE SURPRISING PROPHETS COUNSEL THEIR MASTER TO LOOK BEYOND HIS WOUNDED PRIDE AND TO OBEY ELISHA’S ADVICE.  THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS A CURE.  AND SO THE GENERAL FINALLY DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN HUMILITY BY TAKING A WORD FROM A LOWLY PROPHET AND BY LITERALLY GOING DOWN INTO THE WATERS (Dianne Bergant, Preaching the New Lectionary Year C).  AND THEN AS WE READ IN THE FINAL VERSE OF THE PASSAGE, GENERAL NAAMAN IMMERSES HIMSELF SEVEN TIMES IN THE JORDAN RIVER AND IS HEALED.  THE TEXT TELLS US THAT “…HIS FLESH WAS RESTORED LIKE THE FLESH OF A YOUNG BOY.” 

          SO IN THE COURSE OF THIS AMAZING TALE, THE POWERFUL BECOME POWERLESS AND THE POWERLESS BECOME POWERFUL.  THE YOUNG SLAVE GIRL BECOMES AN AGENT FOR CHANGE SO THAT NAAMAN CAN HAVE THE SKIN OF A CHILD.  THE NAMELESS ONES, THE LITTLE PEOPLE, STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT,  AND “IN HIS OWN WAY, NAAMAN IS HEALED OF BEING ‘A BIG DEAL'” (Kate Huey, “Surprising Prophets,” Weekly Seeds).  INDEED, HE HAS BEEN SET FREE.

          SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I SAW A SIGN AT A HOTEL  THAT SAID, “KINDNESS RICOCHETS.”  AND IT DOES, YOU KNOW.  WE SEE IT IN THE LIFE STORY OF A DISABLED WOMAN WITH 90 FOSTER CHILDREN.  WE SEE IT IN THE PAGES OF AN ANCIENT HEBREW STORY–GOING FROM A SLAVE GIRL TO A SAMARIAN PROPHET TO SOME LOWLY SERVANTS TO A POWERFUL GENERAL.  THE BEST PART, OF COURSE, IS THAT YOU AND I CAN ALSO CAN BE SURPRISING PROPHETS.  WE NEVER KNOW WHAT GOOD THINGS CAN COME FROM LIVING OUR FAITH.  BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT HOTEL SIGN SPEAKS THE TRUTH:  KINDNESS DOES RICOCHET!

Copyright 2022 by the Rev. Dr. Mark Allen Doty