WHAT MATTERS MOST

•    children’s game reminds us of life’s timings / seasons
•    eternal matters most important: pleasures, troubles don’t last

BLESSING IN SHARING GOD’S GRACE FREELY

•    Prophet Elisha refuses to accept healed man’s gift: totally God’s grace
•    God sovereign, not at our disposal or like a vending machine
•    Christ’s agents to give as freely as have received; not be covetous or greedy
•    NT definition of “great gain”: godliness with contentment

GREED’S GRADUAL DEGRADATION

•    servant Gehazi fabricates lie to take advantage of Naaman’s generosity
•    lotteries tempt us to visualize all we could buy IF we won
•    Bible’s consistent message: don’t covet, serve Mammon, love money
•    repercussions of Gehazi’s greed: cast shadow on Elisha’s reputation, God’s grace
•    other Bible characters afflicted by greed: Balaam, Achan, Ahab, Judas, Ananias & Sapphira
•    pockets filled with gold a liability

POWER, POSSESSIONS, AND PRIORITIES

•    servant’s subterfuge useless against prophet’s powerful perception
•    when God asks questions, it’s not to find out information!
•    not the time / season to be preoccupied with momentary material matters
•    seek first God’s kingdom & righteousness