There Is Power in the Kingdom of God, but That Power Is Unleashed Through Humility

Naaman begins moving toward his miracle using the methods of the world, resorting to tactics of power, influence, and money, believing that in this way he can obtain from God what he needs. But God had another plan. Before we receive what God wants to give us, we have to stop trying to use the mechanisms of the world: its manipulation, its tactics of force and false manliness to get our own way.

And in this case we see Naaman setting out toward his miracle by obtaining letters of authority from the king of Syria, who is quite willing to write the letter of recommendation, so to speak. Naaman obtains luxurious garments and money, and all these things with which he intends to bribe or pay the prophet Elisha for the miracle he needs. But, as we have said, things do not work that way in the Kingdom of God. They operate according to contrary ways: the humble and simple of heart are the ones who receive God’s miracle; the broken person is the one God blesses, not the person with haughty eyes, as the Bible says, because God looks at such people from afar. So God wanted to do more in Naaman than simply perform a physical miracle.

It is interesting that when the king of Syria writes his letter, he uses the language of power, almost offensively. He says to the king of Israel—imagine, this is one king writing to another—he says: “When these letters come to you, know from them that I am sending you my servant Naaman so that you may heal him of his leprosy.” In other words, the language is utterly, almost abusively, I would say, disrespectful. He is saying: Look at this letter; know that when you receive it, I expect you to do this and this and this. There is no “please, I respectfully ask you to use your royal influence to encourage your servant Elisha to do this and this and this.” Instead, the king of Syria speaks like a superior addressing a subordinate, giving him no alternative but telling him what he has to do.

It reminds me very much of those letters we sometimes receive from our city authorities demanding payment of a tax we owe or requiring us to appear before a court. You will never hear a civil authority say, “Please, we would like you to come and do this.” Instead, it is a blunt, clear order, under penalty of imprisonment or a fine. That is how people operate.

The Lord Jesus Christ said that in the world kings and superiors are served by their servants, their subordinates, but that in the Kingdom of God it will not be so. Instead, the greatest will serve the least, and the least will be like the greatest. In the Kingdom of God, humility is what is expected of rulers and superiors, of pastors and leaders who lead.

How often do we see, many times in the Christian world, leaders who think we are movie stars and abuse authority in our congregations? Whether pastors or other leaders in the churches, we see leadership as an opportunity to display our influence, impose our will, and boost our ego, when what God wants is leaders who are simple and humble of heart, who are accountable to others, who submit mutually to the people they serve, and who take on the character of Jesus Christ and use God’s ways so that God may use them.

And paradoxically, those leaders who are gentle and humble of heart are the leaders God will use with the greatest power, not those who simply go around giving orders and feel that they do not have to answer to anyone or be accountable to anyone. Such leaders are very dangerous, and this attitude often sets those arrogant leaders up for a terrible fall and for temptations from Satan.

I think that in leadership, what protects a leader most is simplicity and humility of heart. And when I say that, I do not mean to claim that I have already attained it, because every day I have to take a humility pill and reexamine my ways. I know that I, too, often fail and fall into pride. But I understand that what God wants is humble and simple hearts: that we be servants and not lord it over the people God has placed under our authority.

And here we see the opposite, don’t we? This king of Syria, who holds sway over Israel, instead of treating his counterpart in Israel with respect, sent an almost insulting letter, giving him no alternative but telling him, “This is what you have to do.” And there is a slight suggestion of a threat in this, isn’t there? “I am sending you my servant so that you will heal him, period—and if you don’t, suffer the consequences.” That is how the world works.

I believe this passage, among other things, wants to show us that idea, doesn’t it? There is power in the Kingdom of God, but that power is unleashed through humility, not through oppressive and controlling tactics or force. In the Kingdom of God, God sometimes makes us weak to make us strong, as He told the apostle Paul, didn’t He? “My Power perfects you in weakness.”

Many times we want to import the world’s methods into the Kingdom of God, don’t we? That change of mind has not taken place in us, that renewal of the mind that shows us we must use other ways and other means to gain access to God’s power. And that is part of this lesson, isn’t it? Humble yourself so that you may be lifted up. Make yourself weak so that you may be strengthened. Serve others so that you may then be placed in legitimate authority.

I remember the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 2: Let this mind be in you that was also in the Lord Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself, laid aside His glory, became obedient—even obedient to the cross—and experienced a shameful death in order to obey God’s purposes and serve others. It says that for this reason God gave Him a Name above every name, so that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

Many times we first have to pass through humility and learn the ways of the Kingdom of God before we can see His Power unleashed on our behalf. Let us not use human or worldly methods in the Kingdom of God, but rather the ways of weakness, love, compassion, simplicity of heart, asking permission, and being accountable to others, because in that humility there is great power and great effectiveness in our leadership. God bless you, and until our next meditation.