"But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him." 2 Kings 5:20 KJV
Coming before God, we must learn appropriate behavior. A lot of us see God as equal and don't behave with decorum when we come unto the presence. We fail to realize that as father and sovereign God, their is a level of appropriate behaviour expected of us as children of God. Just as we behave in he right way with our earthly fathers and mothers, we must do same with God.
Gehazi lost his place (himself and his generation) because he did not have appropriate christian behaviour and so be and his family became a family of lepers. "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow." 2 Kings 5:27
As Christian children of the Most High God we can no longer behave as a normal person when we have given our life over to God as born again Christians. A lot of Christians don't have their mind renewed. The bible says "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". A renewed mind behaves in an appropriate way and these appropriate behaviour is evident in
- Our thinking
- Our words
- Our Actions
- Our giving
- Our good we do to others
In been appropriate we are to prove ourselves good, our life must be acceptable before God and we must live within the perfect will of God. If you are a true man of God everyone will respect you. As a Man-of-God, worker on his house or minister we must have appropriate man of God, you never lack.
As an appropriate behaviour you never appear before a Man-of-God empty handed. It is appropriate behaviour not to accept every gift, so a Man-of-God has to have the spirit of discernment. It is not appropriate to go against the will of the father. The spirit of God always goes with us therefore we must be appropriate in recognition of God's spirit with us. "And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee?" 2 Kings 5:26
Everything we do, think or say, we must check with God to know if it is appropriate. As a man of God the appropriate behaviour is to remain humble and we must recognize that everyone is important. As children of God who are doing God's work we must exhibit the appropriate behaviour befitting working in God's vineyard.
Do not take God for granted. Gehazi took God for granted because of his inappropriate behaviour of greed. "But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him." This behaviour of his affected not just him but also his family and generations to come.
