2 Kings 5:1-14 The Bottom Up Approach I read a story once about a young woman who was experiencing some physical problems. She had contacted her primary health care provider and set up numerous appointments for examinations with different doctors, but nothing was moving forward. In the meantime, her health issues got worse. Finally, her husband became insistent that something be done. The health provider responded, but hardly in a timely manner. Eventually the woman was informed that the tests showed there was nothing seriously wrong with her. But a friend of the family who was a doctor stepped in. He asked for permission to personally take a look at the test results. This led to a consultation with one of the finest medical minds available. As it turns out, there was a serious problem. The health care system which the woman used was unable, or unwilling, to detect a tumor. A letter was written by highly respected medical authorities, and the health care system responded with the necessary surgery a few months later. The woman went to the top to get help, but the people at the top were seemingly reluctant to provide what was needed. Only when pressure came from the bottom did the health care provider move to do something. In the world today, everything works from the “top down.” Most of the time, if we hope to get anything done that is the approach that works best. It is the system of choice. However, the problem is, we don’t usually have anyone “at the top” to whom we can appeal. 2 Kings 5:1-15 tells the story of Namaan, a great man of valor with a very serious physical problem. He had leprosy. Though he was highly esteemed by the king of Syria, there is hardly a disease which could be more devastating to a man of his stature. It would surely spell the end of his military career, and in time, perhaps his life as well. But hope for Namaan came from an unlikely direction and source. It came from the bottom in the form of a young slave girl. She is on the bottom rung of the Syrian social ladder. She spoke of Elisha, the prophet. Eventually, after consulting the king of Syria and after an audience with the king of Israel, Namaan was sent to Elisha. Through a messenger, the prophet told Namaan to the river of Jordan to bath 7 times. When Namaan did as Elisha commanded, he was cured of his leprosy. Many times we do not get the answers or help we need because we overlook the fact that our solutions can come from the bottom up. Working from the bottom up is how God works. In fact, God rarely starts at the top. He usually provides the way to the answers and help we need from the bottom. The top down process can get lengthy and the results will not be what we had hoped for. If we humble ourselves and listen and look for the bottom up approach, God will give us the results we need.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 12:30:00 +0000
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