Only occasionally does a genuine hero come along. Only once in a great while does a person step onto the stage of prominence to receive universal acclaim and gratitude. That very kind of person, however, emerged in ancient Syria. His name was Naaman. Scripture is glowing in its description of him. He served as the Supreme Commander of his king's armies. His personal traits were exemplary and esteemed highly by all. "Great," "honorable," "deliverer," "mighty," "courageous" all framed his name in glory.

He possessed one other trait, a trait that tainted all else. With a simple phrase, Scripture's admiring description takes a sudden turn toward desperation as it states, "... but he was a leper" (v.1). Leprosy, known today as Hansen's disease, is the oldest recorded disease in the history of mankind.1 Civilizations have for centuries believed it to be a sentence of cruel pain, lonely isolation, and horrible death. Until recently, considered a highly infectious disease that destroyed the body's tissue, those who contracted leprosy faced a gruesome future which only found relief in death. Leprosy is now known to be a malfunction of the body's pain system which allows sufferers repeatedly to damage their extremities until skin ulcers, open sores, deep wounds and extensive damage of tissue and muscle result. Infection often eventuates in the loss of limbs and ultimately life itself.

This understanding of leprosy was unknown in Naaman's day, however. Consequently, when diagnosed as leprous, his future was sealed. No longer would he serve as commander of all the armies of Syria. No longer would he enjoy the comforts of family and the joy of friends. No longer would he be able to pursue the dreams and desires of his heart. All that awaited Naaman was a slow, excruciatingly painful and miserable death. For Naaman there was no cure and no hope. Life for him was over. He was a walking dead man. The only thing his future held was a funeral.

Years before, when life was better and he was in his prime, Naaman had led an incursion of his army into neighboring Israel. Being victorious as usual, the spoils were his for the taking. Among the trophies of that particular conquest was a young Jewish girl whom he took home to be his wife's handmaiden. Apparently, with the passage of time, the servant girl became more than just another slave, more than just another attendant, more than just a handmaiden. Feelings of attachment and care unexpectedly emerged among them. She became a part of the family. Scripture unfolds a captivating scene of one fateful day in Naaman's household (v.3). Perhaps on that day the young handmaiden busied herself with brushing her mistress's long tresses as the predawn chill began to give way to yet another blistering morning. The wisp of a cool breeze touched her warmed brow with momentary relief. Suddenly her thoughts transported her across the miles and years to another home. Her real home. She found herself thinking about her other family.