Legacy: God Honors the Heart by Vance K. JacksonSample

Overcoming Obstacles

Notice, Naaman did not let his outward appearance stop him from performing. Naaman, the leper, did not let his outward condition stop him from executing at a high level. Naaman did not allow his outward condition to impact his inward heart condition. Naaman pleasantly led others. Naaman pleasantly served the king. Naaman, pleasantly commanded the host of Syria.

Imagine leading a host. A host of diverse, skilled experts in war. A host of trained executives who have been trained, some since youth, in all manner of executive warfare. But Naaman had to learn these skills, lessons, and techniques on the outskirts.

Imagine learning intimate war strategy from afar off. Imagine those not wanting to train you or get close to you because of your leprosy. Because of this blemish—society ostracized you. But Naaman led with leprosy.

Naaman overcame ostracism. Naaman conquered isolation. Naaman defeated intimidation. Naaman, whose name means “pleasantness," became successful while battling the external extremity of leprosy while conquering internal isolation.

Although Naaman’s leprosy was an external skin condition visible to those around him—leprosy starts from within and manifests on the outside. Certain skin conditions, such as leprosy, are topical manifestations pointing to an internal underlying condition that’s buried beneath the surface of the malignant deteriorating area.

Leprosy comes in different “forms." Besides the outward appearance of deterioration—leprosy starts under the skin. Before leprosy manifests on the outside, it’s an internal condition that starts on the inside. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines “Leprosy” as:

“A contagious disease that affects the skin mucous membranes and nerves causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and its severe case is disfigurement and deformities.”

Although leprosy starts on the inside—it manifests and disfigures on the outside. The same principles that apply to the physical form of “Leprosy” apply to other “forms” of “Leprosy." Remember this principle: Leprosy starts on the inside and manifests on the outside.