Theme

Healing of body and attitude

Questions

• In most ways in his life Naaman is a successful man, in control of his life and the people around him (v.1), but his leprosy is something that he cannot control or remove. Imagine how Naaman felt about his life. Are there areas of your life where you are frustrated or disappointed because you can’t control what’s happening?
• A slave-girl tells Naaman’s wife about the prophet Elisha and the potential for healing (v.2).
  • How much courage does it take to speak up for God to those who don’t know him?
  • Have you ever shared your faith with someone, and told them about the potential of God to heal (either physically or spiritually)?
• Power speaks to power in this story when the King of Aram sent Naaman to the King of Israel with a letter, assuming he would heal Naaman (v.4-7). Do we tend to expect those who hold worldly power to be the ones who can solve problems? Who are the people today which are considered powerful?
• When Naaman arrives at his house Elisha doesn’t greet him, he doesn’t even go out to meet him face-to-face (v.9-10). Do you think an important man like Naaman would have felt insulted by Elisha’s behaviour? Why did Elisha behave this way?
• Naaman was annoyed by Elisha’s simple instruction (v.11-12).
  • In what ways does Naaman have a distorted view of how God works? Is that kind of view still around today?
  • How often do people expect God (or God’s people) to act in dramatic ways in order to do something ‘spiritual’? Are there people who ‘cash in’ on that expectation?
• After he is healed Naaman wants to give Elisha a gift (he brought lots of treasure on his journey for healing – v.5)?
  • Why do you think Elisha refuses Naaman’s gift (after all, he has accepted gifts from others before)?
  • Why do you think it’s hard for some people to accept that God’s work of restoration in our lives – grace – is free?
• Naaman comes to faith in the God of Israel, but he still has to serve his master, the king of Aram, including taking the king to the temple to pray to his god (see v.17-19):
  • Do you think that Naaman is compromising his new found faith by bowing with the king to the god of Aram?
  • Many Christians today face difficult decisions about whether to continue to worship using non-Christian religious practices or whether to break from their traditions. What do you think you would do in that kind of situation? Could Naaman’s story offer encouragement to Christians in those situations?
  • Why do you think Elisha tells him to ‘go in peace’?

• Do you think Naaman’s healing was about more than his leprosy? In what other ways was Naaman healed?

• If you could ask Naaman one question, what would it be? (what do you think his answer would be?)