The Rest of the Story 

By Rev. Jim Rogers

One of America’s favorite radio broadcasters has to be Paul Harvey.  His first national broadcast was in 1951, and he continues to work and broadcast six days a week, at the age of eighty-four.  In 1976 he began a broadcast called “The Rest of the Story” – a five-minute program in which he tells little-known tales from the lives of famous people.

A few weeks ago, as I read and prepared to preach on the regularly scheduled Old Testament reading for Epiphany 6 (Series B), I was struck by the fact that the scheduled reading ends rather mysteriously at 2 Kings 5:14.  I immediately thought, “What about the rest of the story?” 

We all know the first part of the story.  Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, had leprosy.  His wife’s Jewish servant girl told him that the prophet Elisha could heal him.  So Naaman traveled from Syria to Samaria with a letter of introduction from King Ben-Hadad.  First Naaman went to King Joram, who was not too thrilled about the whole thing.  When Elisha heard about it he invited Naaman to come to him.  Naaman arrived at the door of Elisha’s house. He initially balked at being told to wash in the Jordan River, but eventually did so.  “And his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.” (2 Kings 5:14) 

That is where the reading ended.  But what about the rest of the story?  The very next verse is so important.  It says, “Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God.  He stood there before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.’” He was converted on the spot!  Naaman offered Elisha a gift (which Elisha politely refused).  ”If you will not” [accept the gift], said Naaman, ”please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as two mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord.” 

Naaman believed with all his heart that the God who had healed him – the God of Israel – was the only God in the entire universe.  But remember what he had said.  He said, “Now I know there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”  His thinking was, “This God in Israel is the real thing.  I want to worship him, and only him.  But how can I worship him when I go back home to Syria?  I know what I’ll do!  I’ll take part of Israel back to Syria with me.  As much of Israel as two mules can carry.  Then when I get back home, I’ll dump that part of Israel on the ground, and if I stand on that ground – that ground of Israel – even if I am in Syria, I will be able to worship the true God.” 

Of course, you and I know that that business about lugging all that dirt back to Syria was not necessary.  Naaman could have worshiped God back in Syria whether he was standing on Syrian soil or on Israeli soil.  But Naaman, God bless him, didn’t know that.  He was so excited about his new faith that he wanted to make sure that he could worship the true God back home. 

But that is not all of the rest of the story.  Naaman foresaw a potential problem when he returned to Syria and would need to accompany the elderly king when the king went to worship in the pagan temple.  Naaman says, “But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing:  When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there also – when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.” 

How did Elisha respond?  Did he lay down a rule?  Did he pull a handbook out of his robe and quote some bylaw?  Did Elisha say, “Don’t you dare bow down in the temple where Rimmon is being worshiped because that would be syncretism?”  Did Elisha say, “When you get back to Syria, tell the king his religion is no good and if he doesn’t convert, he is going to burn in hell?”  No. Elisha said to Naaman, “Go in peace.”  Elisha said, “Do what you need to do.”  It was certainly a case of discretion.   As Elisha responded to Naaman’s unique situation, charity prevailed.

In September, 2001 Dr. David Benke was faced with a dilemma.  He had received an invitation to offer a prayer at Yankee Stadium on September 23.  There would be non-Christians present.  Some of them would offer prayers.  What should he do?  Should he accept the invitation? Should he participate in this event?  He called his ecclesiastical supervisor Dr. Gerald Kieschnick.  After talking about the situation and asking appropriate questions about the event, Dr. Kieschnick “affirmed [his] decision to participate” (to use Dr. Benke’s words).  In other words, Dr. Kieschnick said, “Go in peace.”  “Do what God has given you the opportunity to do!” 

Soon after that event, some pulled out their handbooks and quoted bylaws concerning “syncretism” and “unionism.”  Some even accused Dr. Benke of breaking the first commandment.  Like Naaman, Dr. Benke knows, believes, and has publicly stated many times that there is only one God.  Dr. Benke knows and believes that Jesus is the only way to heaven.  His being on the same stage with Muslims and Jews did not compromise his faith any more than Naaman compromised his faith when he needed to accompany his master and bow down with him in Rimmon’s temple.  Unlike the situation with Elisha and Naaman, charity has certainly not prevailed in Dr. Benke’s situation. 

I told my congregation on February 16, 2003 that there is a lesson here for us all.  You and I know who God is.  We know he is the One and Only.   At the same time, we dare not go around trashing other religions.  Rather, we are to respect them.  Not because they are right or true; but because if we simply trash them, we will also be trashing any opportunity we might have to carry on a meaningful conversation with the person of another religion, and we will be forfeiting any opportunity we might have to share our faith with them. 

As Dr. Benke made use of an opportunity to speak the precious name of Jesus before an audience of millions, he did not trash the other religions that were present that day in Yankee Stadium.  Neither did he embrace them.  Instead, he treated them with respect – so that meaningful conversations and additional opportunities to witness might follow.  Not only should charity prevail.  Dr. Benke should be thanked for making good use of a wonderful opportunity.