tVB 58:2 BUSINESS START-UP: THE KING & HIS LEPER

tVb 58: 2

BUSINESS START-UP:

THE KING & HIS LEPER

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Assyria, was a great and honourable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Assyria. He was also a mighty man of valour, but a leper. And the Assyrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman's wife. Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, "Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel." Then the king of Assyria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." 2 Kings 5:1-5, NKJV

Many inadvertently undermine organizational growth potentials via poor work relationships. It is only humans who can build, populate and grow organizations, but to ensure that organization’s continuing growth, it must remain human in its policies and processes, regardless of corporate goals or environmental challenges. We must come to the place where we bring humaneness back into the workplace and our work processes.

The king of Assyria was an enemy of Israel, but for whatever reason, he was permitted to gain military superiority over Israel. Our opening text shows that his closest and most important official was a leper, a condition that requires he not live among the healthy population. But despite this obvious problem, the king retained him as commander-in-chief of his army. Let’s think about it a while.

Greater Focus On Ability And Productivity

The king was not made uncomfortable by Naaman’s problem; rather he chose to focus on his abilities and results. Naaman himself testified in 2 Kings 5:18, “...When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there ...he leans on my hand”. For a man who had everything and could have possession or personal he wanted, I think this king’s work-style poses a great, positive character challenge! \

Respect The Person

The manner of expediency and gravity the king accorded Naaman’s affairs demonstrated deep respect for Naaman. Little wonder, the army under his command was so effective. It actually took divine intervention to prevent them from arresting Elisha.

Support

From the language of the letter sent to the king of Israel, you can tell that the king of Assyria demanded top royal treatment for Naaman. It takes a depth of character to openly support someone who’s ‘issues’ could ‘taint’ your public or corporate image. Healing Naaman’s leprosy became a diplomatic issue.

Identified With A Personal Problem

While it is true that people have a tendency to abuse privileges, the fact remains that many issues can only be turned around by the humaneness of a discerning leader. Even the Israeli maid who mentioned healing at the prophet’s hand was the king’s gift to Naaman’s wife! The king’s manner touched Naaman domestically. Will your staffer’s family be happy to meet you or simply be polite till you leave?

Bringing it home

Is a ‘leper’ in any key position within your organization? Leprosy here is figurative. ‘Leprosy’ could be those embarrassing ‘qualities’ exhibited in the lives of some of your very productive men and women, e.g. awkward dress style, family problems, poor self hygiene, etc, that could not only make them fall below preferred standards, but could also send the wrong signals about who you as the leader or boss really are.

However, if you also looked close enough you’ll probably notice that these same problem laden-persons also possess great qualities that have contributed quite meaningfully to the growth of the organization over the years? I believe that even now, as you read, some things about some of your good people are coming to mind. You might have considered replacing such personnel to prevent further embarrassment. Today, I urge you to consider something noble. I encourage you to seek out ways of helping these good, productive people better manage or even overcome their issues. While HR Officers require staffers to resume work daily with a clean ‘plate’, humanness demands that you give attention to those things that make them tick as individuals. Could that frequent request for a salary advance mean an inability to wisely manage personal finances? Is your office schedule generating pressure on the home front?

I think the king of Assyria was a man of unusual great character who not only focused more on his people’s ability and productivity, but whose character rubbed off on his subordinates, and those they had authority over.

Like a coin, organizational growth takes superiors and subordinates working together. We’ve seen the king’s part. Now let’s consider the other side. Actually, that is how this whole drama began…

A slave maid got the army commander-in-chief to do exactly as she desired without even talking to him. To be successful with up-line relationship, you require certain qualities this slave girl had:

Tact

She knew she had no access to Naaman, but he needed to hear what she had to say. Knowing that her master’s situation was quite touchy, she moved in the direction of least resistance and talked to the wife instead. Naaman also demonstrated the same tact. Although his master trusted and respected him, he did not take it for granted but used it to his advantage and it paid off.

Tact means ‘Consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offence’. You must know what to say, when to say, how to say it and particularly whom to say it to when something really needs to be said.

Submission, not sub-servience!

In 2 Kings 5:11-14 when Naaman got angry, and stomped away because of the prophet’s command to bath in the Jordan, it was another servant who defined his decisions. “...His servants came near and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

Truth is Naaman trusted this servant. He knew he had his best interest at heart. And so he listened. To get your boss to really listen to you, build a record of respect and submission to authority that over time shows your sincere care for your boss’s wellbeing. You will be the better for it. How do you think Naaman’s household became after he was healed? At least I’m sure that no one was scared of approaching the master anymore!

Humaneness is one simple but powerful way to achieve both personal and corporate advancement. Invest in learning those different things that release the juice from ‘the other side’. Your life, your work and your organization, whether ministry or corporate, will be the better for it. You will make it. You will succeed! God bless.

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