You may not know this man, Gehazi. He had a prominent position as the servant of the prophet, Elisha. He was a man of position and responsibility, but he lost favor in the eyes of his master and God.

The story begins in II Kings 5 with the introduction of Naaman. Remember that Naaman was a captain in the Syrian army and had been responsible for the capture of some of the Jewish people. Among those captured was a young girl who was placed in the home of Naaman to serve Naaman’s wife.

Naaman was an important man, but he had leprosy. Leprosy was a terrible disease to the Jews, and the young servant girl was concerned for her mistress’ husband. She was concerned enough that she told her mistress that there was a prophet that could help Naaman.

Through letters of introduction from the king, Naaman was sent to Elisha for healing. Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, instructed Naaman to go wash in the River Jordan seven times, and he would be healed. After some resistance from Naaman, he did as Elisha through Gehazi told him; and he was healed of his leprosy.

Naaman had come prepared with ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing. He had expected to give these gifts to Elisha for making him well; but to his surprise, Elisha refused the gifts. Naaman left and started for home.

Now we come to Gehazi. Gehazi could not get out of his mind the gifts that Naaman had brought, and he devised a plan to get something for himself. After all, he was the one that delivered the message to Naaman as to what he needed to do to be healed.

So, Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw the servant of the man of God running toward his caravan, he stopped and got down from his chariot. Immediately he asked Gehazi if everything was all right. Gehazi assured him that everything was fine.

Gehazi then explained the purpose of tracking him down. He said that his master had sent him because two young men who were sons of prophets had come to see Elisha. He requested one talent of silver and two changes of clothes for them.

Of course Naaman responded favorably to him because he owed Elisha his health and maybe his life. He offered him two talents of silver and two changes of clothes.

Gehazi pretended to think this was too much, but Naaman insisted that he take the extra silver. Gehazi accepted, and Naaman sent the valuables by servants with Gehazi.

When Gehazi arrived home, he took the gifts from the servants and proceeded to his house where he hid them. Acting as though nothing had happened, he went in to see Elisha.

Elisha immediately confronted Gehazi by asking him where he had been. Gehazi told Elisha that he hadn’t been anywhere, and Elisha confronted him with what he knew he had done. He even exposed what he knew Gehazi planned to do with the money he had taken.

As punishment, Elisha gave the leprosy that had been present in Naaman to Gehazi, and Gehazi went out a leper.

Gehazi’s sins are easy to see. He lied, not once but twice. He lied to Naaman about the sons of the prophets, and he lied to Elisha about where he had been. He took something that was not his, and justified himself in his dishonesty.

We may lie and steal, and we may get away with it—for a time. In the judgment, it will all be revealed. Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

What if everything we do and say was projected on a large screen for everyone to see? What would it show? Would it show us lying, cheating, and stealing for our own personal gain; or would it show us serving God by helping others, doing the right things, and being obedient servants?

Sandra Oliver