Killing Pride

What comes to mind when you think of the word "pride"?

There are positive and negative ways to use the word right?

Positive:

Proud of a person for their accomplishments, hard work, or something similar.

Proud of yourself for working hard or doing something you didnt think you could do.

Negative:

Bragging and talking about themselves all the time

Being selfish and only thinking about themselves

Considering ourselves better or more deserving than others.

2 Kings introduces 2 people who deal with Pride in a very different way.

2 kings

2 Kings 5:1 NIV

1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

At this point the kingdom of Israel is divided

Israel is made up of evil kings while there are a few good guys in Judah.

Because of the evil in Israel, God allows a Aram to conquer Israel (they were just to the north if Israel).

Naaman was the famous, well thought of, commander of the army of Aram.

Naaman was the famous, well thought of, commander of the army of Aram.

He was an important man who wielded a lot of power.

Notice though that his prominence did not come from how strong and wise he was, but “the Lord had given victory to Aram” meaning Naaman was just benefiting from the Lord’s work in his life.

What is something that your really gifted at?

Could be sports, art, music, math, science, or whatever.

One very real way pride shows up in our lives is when we take credit for something God has gifted us we.

You might be a really good athlete and that is great, but why are you such a good athlete? Because of God’s gifting in your life and the opportunities He has given you.

You might excel in school and that is great, but know where your ability comes from.

But even though Naaman has a lot going for him, we are told he also has leprosy.

Someone with leprosy doesn't have that pain, so after repeated injuries, they may lose their fingers, toes, nose, and ears.

Naaman may have been a great general who was given victory by God, but he was sick. That sickness, as we'll see, extends beyond the skin. He was sick in his heart too.

But there is another person I want to look at in this story.

2 Kings 5:2 NIV

2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.

2 kings

This girl mentioned here is never given a name and never mentioned outside of this story, but we can learn a great deal from her.

She was from Israel, but was taken by raiders into Aram.

She was made a slave to Naaman’s wife.

We can assume her family was either made slaves as well or killed by the raiders.

In her day family and the place you were born are extremely important so she would have had a tough time.

From a strictly worldly perspective, no one would blame her for being angry and bitter.

No one would blame her for wishing ill will on Naaman and his family.

2 Kings 5:3 NIV

3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

The opposite of pride is humility.

It takes humility to think about others before you think about yourself.

It takes humility to consider other people’s needs before you own.

It takes humility to forgive someone who has hurt you.

It takes humility to show care for someone else even if you get nothing out of it.

2 Kings 5:4–6 ESV

4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

2 kings 5-

The girl in the story doesn’t seem to have gotten anything out of this, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t do the right thing.

Be like Jesus

Philippians 2:4–11 ESV

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

philip 2:4-

Philippians 2:10 ESV

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

phil 2 10