But Elisha questioned him, “Wasn’t my spirit there when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and clothes, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves?
Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence diseased-white as snow.     2 Kings 5:26-27 HCSB

Have you ever stepped in something that has stuck to your shoe like gum or something much less pleasant? I’m sure we all have at one time or another. Our sin can stick to us. It can be very hard to remove it.

In 2 Kings chapter 5 a powerful Aramean man named Naaman had leprosy which was a terrible skin disease. He got word that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure him. I encourage you to read the whole story because I am abbreviating this one a good bit. But Naaman met with the prophet Elisha, did as Elisha said and was cured. He was so grateful that he attempted to present Elisha with gifts like silver and clothes, but Elisha refused to accept them. Elisha wanted Naaman to know that God had freely healed him. This was a free gift from God, not something he could pay for. Elisha’s servant, Gehazi heard their conversation and followed Naaman as he left. He lied to Naaman and told him Elisha had two young prophets come in and wanted these gifts to give to them. Naaman gave Gehazi silver and clothes and Gehazi took them to his house. But, hello! Elisha was a prophet. He knew what Gehazi had done and confronted him about it. Naaman blindly paid for his healing that God had freely given him. He was not at fault. But Gehazi was at fault for allowing his greed to accept these things from Naaman.

Elisha tells Gehazi that now he will have leprosy for the rest of his life and his descendants will also suffer from it. Ouch! That sounds like a pretty harsh punishment, doesn’t it? But Gehazi charged Naaman for something God had freely given him. Naaman was made a believer through his healing so he’s a brand-new believer. He had no idea that what Gehazi was doing was wrong. He had offered these gifts to Elisha, but Elisha had refused them.

When we go against what God wants, the punishment may be severe. It may not only impact our lives, but the lives of those we love. Gehazi would be reminded of his sin every day as he suffered in his body with this skin disease. I’m sure all those who knew him would know why he suffered with this skin disease. His sin had literally stuck to him.

We must be very careful. Sin always looks good. I’m sure that Gehazi thought it would be good to have that silver and those new clothes, but he let his greed blind him to the fact that he was sinning against God. Sin may look good. It may even feel good for a while, but the aftereffects can be devastating. They can last a lifetime and even effect those we love.

As I look around today, I see that God’s word holds true. In 2 Timothy 3:2-5 we are told that in these last days people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!

Scripture tells us to avoid these people and we must also avoid doing any of these things. We must not let greed or bitterness or hatred blind us to what is right and what God has demanded of us.

In our Scripture passage, Naaman had leprosy. God healed him when he washed seven times in the Jordan river and made him clean. Jesus’ blood can make us clean. But Gehazi let his greed cause him to sin and as punishment, Naaman’s leprosy would stick with Gehazi for the rest of his life.

Sin has lifelong consequences. Turn to Jesus today. Repent for any sins you may have committed or for anything you may have failed to do that He has commanded us. Ask Him to wash you clean so that your sin doesn’t stick to you. We are told in Psalm 103:12 that as far as the east is from the west, God removes our transgressions from us. Turn to Him today. Don’t let your sin stick to you.

Have a great day!