Facing Courage

Albert Bogle October 05, 2026 3 1

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2 Kings 7: 3–11 (NIVUK)

3 Now there were four men with leprosy[a] at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, ‘Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, “We’ll go into the city”– the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.’

5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, ‘Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!’ 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.

8 The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.

9 Then they said to each other, ‘What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.’

10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, ‘We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there – not a sound of anyone – only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.’ 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.

Here is an amazing story found in the Bible but seldom talked about: four outcasts running for their lives, fleeing away from a besieged city. Then suddenly they come across an abandoned enemy camp full of food and treasure. They revel in their good fortune and take what they need.

Instead of spitefully abandoning the city dwellers who had cast them out, leaving them to starve to death, their conscience made them decide to return to the city with the good news that the besieging army had gone. The outcasts became heroes that day, bringing hope — though some doubted.

What an amazing story of hope highlighting human compassion and courage. There is, of course, a spiritual lesson to be learned from this story: kindness and compassion are often found in the hearts and minds of those from whom society would often want to wash its hands.

Personal Reflection: Where have you encountered kindness from an unexpected person? On reflection, could your reaction have been much wiser, more hopeful? Take a moment and read the whole passage from verses 1–19. Why is it we always doubt the validity of good news? Why do we always look for the catch?

Prayer

Father, forgive us when we have ever so subtly excluded people from our circle of friends or an activity because, in our mind's eye, they didn’t fit in, or we felt they might be disruptive or offend others. Help us learn from this story that even those who have been insulted and shunned can show grace and kindness that puts us to shame Bless all those who have felt left behind, slighted, or hurt. Give them the courage to redeem a broken relationship by showing courageous grace to the doubtful and least deserving. Give us hearts to believe the stories of hope.