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Commentary on "Gehazi: Missing the Mark"

RICHARD PEIFER

 

Day 3: Monday, December 13, 2010 - Learning Firsthand

 

Overview

“It sometimes is easy to be so self-centered and self-absorbed that we become insensitive to the feelings and needs of others. Who hasn’t been on both ends of that equation? How can you learn to be more sensitive to the feelings and needs of others? Also, how can you learn to bear gracefully the insensitivity of others toward you?” (Adult Teachers Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Oct. Nov. Dec. 2010, page 140)

 

Problems

This section of the lesson is quite helpful.

All of us have done exactly as Gehazi did. Busy days, fussy children, unreasonable bosses, unreasonable customers, and so on all work to get us focused on ourselves to the extent that we miss what’s going on right in front of us.

Here’s the difference between walking by sight and walking by faith. Gehazi reacted to the woman’s rudeness. Elisha said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me” (2 Kings 4:27b).

Elisha, though he had recognized her at some distance, did not know what she needed, but he was willing to wait for the answer and to ignore the social awkwardness.

The problem is that the lesson does not answer the questions.

Here is Paul’s approach.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:1-5).

James wrote nearly the same thing.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:2-5).

 

Summary

  1. This section of the quarterly offers a good analysis of the beginning of Gehazi’s failure. It may presuppose too much, but it doesn’t require too much reading between the lines in 2 Kings to see what is going on.
  2. All of us suffer from this same lack of sensitivity to others. It is a natural result of indwelling sin.
  3. The answer to the thought questions posted in the quarterly is stated very clearly in Romans and James. The only way to learn to serve others consistently is to allow God’s grace to teach us through thick and thin. We can react to bad circumstances in our own strength or respond to them by faith.

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

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The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

Official Adventist Resources

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