Who Was Gehazi?
Gehazi was the personal servant of the prophet Elisha, one of the most powerful prophets in Israel's history. His name appears several times in 2 Kings, where he is portrayed as Elisha's trusted aide and messenger. Gehazi had unprecedented access to divine power and witnessed extraordinary miracles firsthand.
In 2 Kings 4:12-37, Gehazi served as intermediary when Elisha raised the Shunammite woman's son from the dead. In 2 Kings 8:4-5, he recounted Elisha's great deeds to King Jehoram. Gehazi occupied a position of tremendous privilege—he walked alongside one of God's greatest prophets and witnessed the supernatural power of the Almighty regularly.
Yet despite his proximity to holiness and his front-row seat to God's miraculous works, Gehazi's heart harbored a fatal flaw: greed. His story serves as one of Scripture's most sobering warnings about how spiritual privilege does not guarantee spiritual maturity, and how the love of money can corrupt even those closest to God's work.
Gehazi's Journey: From Privilege to Punishment
The Ancient Trap That Still Snares Today
🪤 Gehazi still lives — he says, "What's in it for me?"
He heard the words of the prophet.
He saw the mercy of GOD.
But he ran after more silver.
In 2 Kings 5:20-27, we witness one of Scripture's most sobering examples of spiritual greed. Gehazi, servant to the prophet Elisha, had witnessed God's miraculous healing of Naaman the Syrian commander (2 Kings 5:14). He saw his master refuse any payment for what God had freely given (2 Kings 5:15-16). Yet when opportunity presented itself, Gehazi's heart revealed its true condition: "My master was too easy on Naaman this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him" (2 Kings 5:20).
The Modern Manifestation of Ancient Greed
💰 Today, some do the same.
They receive a blessing — a healing, a breakthrough —
Yet instead of saying "Thank You, LORD," they say,
"Remember me..."
...to people.
This spirit of entitlement has infiltrated our churches. People receive God's favor through ministry, prayer, or prophetic words, but instead of gratitude flowing upward to Heaven, their thoughts immediately turn horizontal — to human recognition, reciprocal favors, and material gain. As Jesus warned: "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1).
The Calculating Mind in Church Leadership
👂 Others sit quietly on the side, listening when the prophets of GOD speak.
Then they run calculations in their heads.
They go to the rich and say,
"I heard what the prophet said about you... let me help you... tell me more..." —
Not to serve, but to gain.
This calculating spirit manifests in church leadership when:
- Ministers give preferential treatment to wealthy donors (violating James 2:1: "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism")
- Pastoral visits are prioritized based on financial contribution rather than spiritual need (contradicting 1 Peter 5:2-3: "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care... not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you")
- Church positions are awarded based on giving capacity rather than spiritual maturity (opposing 1 Timothy 3:1-7 qualifications for church leadership)
- Prayer time and attention are allocated according to someone's ability to "bless" the ministry (contradicting Romans 2:11: "For God does not show favoritism")
And when gifts come in, they run after even more —
favoring the rich, giving them the best seat in the house,
while ignoring the humble, the poor, the unseen.
Did James not warn us?
Biblical Warning Against Partiality
📖 "Have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:4)
📖 "Has not GOD chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith?" (James 2:5)
James 2:1-9 addresses this exact issue. The early church struggled with showing favoritism to the wealthy while neglecting the poor. This wasn't merely a social issue — it was a spiritual cancer that corrupted the very heart of Christian fellowship.
When we show partiality based on material wealth, we're contradicting God's value system. Scripture declares: "Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (James 2:5). We're declaring that earthly resources matter more than eternal treasures, directly opposing Jesus' teaching: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:19-20).
The Spirit That Still Whispers Today
⚠️ Gehazi's spirit still whispers:
"What can I get from this?"
"What's in it for me?"
"How can I position myself to benefit?"
This spirit operates through:
- Transactional relationships - building connections based on what others can provide (contrary to 1 Corinthians 13:5: "Love... is not self-seeking")
- Conditional service - helping others only when reciprocal benefits are likely (opposing Luke 6:35: "Love your enemies and do good... expecting nothing in return")
- Strategic positioning - placing oneself near influential or wealthy individuals for personal advantage (contradicting Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition... but in humility value others above yourselves")
- Manipulative prayers - using spiritual language to guilt others into giving or supporting (violating 2 Corinthians 2:17: "We do not peddle the word of God for profit")
This pattern is ancient. Even in Jeremiah's time, God condemned this same spirit: "From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush" (Jeremiah 6:13-15).
The prophet Jeremiah witnessed religious leaders who were "greedy for gain" and practiced "deceit" — the exact same spirit that drove Gehazi. They offered false comfort ("Peace, peace") while their hearts pursued material benefit. Most tragically, "they have no shame at all" — they had lost the ability to even recognize their spiritual corruption.
But the heart of CHRIST says:
📖 "Freely you have received — freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
The Antidote: Christ's Economy
Jesus established a radically different economic system in His kingdom. This economy operates on principles completely opposite to Gehazi's greed:
Grace over greed: We serve because we've been served by God (1 John 4:19: "We love because he first loved us"), not to gain something from others.
Generosity over calculation: We give freely because God has given freely to us (2 Corinthians 9:7: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver").
Humility over positioning: We seek the lowest place (Luke 14:10: "When you are invited, take the lowest place"), trusting God to exalt whom He chooses (1 Peter 5:6: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time").
Love over leverage: Our motivation is love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39), not personal advancement (1 Timothy 6:6: "Godliness with contentment is great gain").
Practical Steps for Church Purification
Churches must take active steps to root out Gehazi's spirit:
- Establish clear policies that ensure equal treatment regardless of financial contribution (James 2:2-4)
- Train leaders to recognize and resist the temptation of favoritism (1 Timothy 5:21: "Keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism")
- Create accountability structures that prevent preferential treatment of donors (Galatians 6:1: "If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently")
- Regularly examine church practices for signs of partiality (1 Corinthians 11:28: "Everyone ought to examine themselves")
- Celebrate stories of humble service that expects no earthly reward (Matthew 6:3-4: "When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret")
A Prayer for Cleansing
🔥 LORD, cleanse Your church from partiality.
Deliver us from Gehazi's greed and his spirit.
Let us honor You — not just the ones who bring gifts.
Help us remember that we have all sinned and fall short of Your glory (Romans 3:23). If we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Let us serve with pure hearts, seeking Your face, not human favor.
Transform our hearts from asking "What's in it for me?" to declaring "What can I give for You?" (Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive").
Conclusion: Breaking Free from Gehazi's Trap
The spirit of Gehazi remains active, but it need not prevail. Through honest self-examination, biblical accountability, and the transforming power of Christ, churches can break free from the trap of spiritual greed.
Remember: God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7: "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart"). He knows whether our service flows from love or from calculation. He distinguishes between those who serve Him and those who serve themselves through Him (Matthew 7:21-23).
May we choose the path of true discipleship, where freely receiving leads to freely giving, and where the question "What's in it for me?" is replaced by "How can I serve You, Lord?" (Mark 10:43-44: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all").
Resources
You might find the following resources helpful:
- Daily Bread Video Creator App: https://peplamb.com/daily-bread-video-creator-seamlessly-share-gods-word/
- Free Audio Bibles: https://peplamb.com/free-audio-bibles/
- Bible App: https://bible.peplamb.com
- Click the following Bible versions to hear the audio playlist of above verses:
