Saturday, July 19 || WATCH OUT! BE ON GUARD!!

Honey Drops for Every Soul
Jul 19
2 min read

Read : II Kings 5:15-16, 19-27

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. ...” - Luke 12:15

In today’s text, we read of Gehazi’s covetousness. Covetous people will make idols out of material wealth, bear false witness, steal, dishonor God’s name, abuse parents and even commit murder. Gehazi’s covetousness led to lying and its outcome was terrible.

First, Gehazi lied to himself. (II Kings 5:20) He knew that Naaman’s healing was wholly by the grace of God. He also knew that it was wrong to run behind the gifts that Naaman offered. In spite of all these, his greed took control of him and he hurried after Naaman for gifts.

Secondly, Gehazi lied to Naaman. (Verse 21-24) He cooked up a story of his own. He daringly used his master’s name and lied to Naaman saying, “My master has sent me,” and asked for gifts to be given to two sons of prophets. Naaman not only gave Gehazi more than he requested but also assigned two of his servants to carry the gifts for him. And when they arrived at a hill, Gehazi took the gifts and sent the men back, lest somebody might recognize them and start asking questions.

Thirdly, Gehazi lied to Elisha. (Verse 25-27) Acting very innocent, he went and stood before his master, but he did not know that God had already revealed the matter to Elisha. When Elisha asked him where he had gone, he blatantly lied saying, “Your servant didn’t go anywhere!” God judged Gehazi by inflicting him with leprosy. His anger was so fierce that He said that Gehazi’s descendants would also be inflicted with that disease.

Dear friends, there is nothing wrong in being wealthy but it is certainly wrong to get that wealth through deceit and greed.  Let us be careful, let us not fall in the hands of the living God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in the Old Testament days, You punished the sinners then and there as in the case of Gehazi. If You were to deal with me in a similar way, I would have been destroyed long ago. Let me not take Your grace for granted, but obey all Your commandments. Amen.