Elisha was known as "the man of God". Over and over people referred to him as this, and addressed him this way. What a title! What a reputation. What do we see in Elisha's life that gained him this title? My Bible's study notes lists these (Full Life Study Bible):

1. He maintained intimate and persevering communion with God. He knew God and was known by Him.

2. He was a holy man, fully set apart from the religious and moral compromise of his day and dedicated to the Lord God of Israel.

3. He empathized with God over the sins of the covenant people and opposed the tide of idolatry and apostasy in Israel.

4. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, enabling him to speak with spiritual authority as God's representative, and to proclaim the Word of the Lord faithfully.

5. As a prophet of enormous stature and gifts, his ministry was affirmed by God with mighty miracles and signs.

This sounds like a benchmark Christian to me. It's God's desire to make you a man or woman of God. The great thing about the day of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit can now rest on every believer the same way He rested on the prophets of old.

There's no reason in the world each of us shouldn't have the same qualities as Elisha. We may not minister with signs and wonders to thousands, but we can minister with signs and wonders to our co-workers or the kids in the nursery. We can live holy lives that will gain us a reputation even though our words may be few. We can stand against idolatry in our families and churches, and we can speak in our Bible study groups with authority.

Naaman had a problem with his leprosy, and a Hebrew servant girl recommended Elisha to him as the one with the answer. Is your reputation such that when people have problems, others will recommend you as a person who knows the answer?

-- Anonymous, May 20, 2002