I have been thinking a lot about Naaman lately. Do you remember him? Many of us probably do. His story and the lesson I shared with my 2 and 3 year old class tonight are what prompt this post tonight.
Many good lessons can be taken from the story of Naaman. I love that the little handmaiden was so brave to speak of the prophet of God in her country that could heal her master. We can also learn a valuable lesson from the greed of Gehazi, the servant Elisha who ran after Naaman and sought a gift after Elisha had denied one from him. Then something could be said about the king of Israel tearing his clothes when he read the letter from the king of Syria. He knew that he did not have the power to make Naaman well. I'm sure there are other lessons to be drawn from this story.
When I think of the healing of Naaman's leprosy, I remember this sentence from that story ..."If the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it?" Perhaps that is what I remember most because that is the lesson I feel I need the most - the humility lesson.
How often do we think about ourselves and feel that we are living such ordinary, mundane lives that being faithful is sometimes a struggle? Do we imagine ourselves in some precarious situation and proclaim, as Peter did - "No Lord, I would never deny you?" Do we think about those great people of faith - the Bible characters from old and imagine ourselves doing something as great and famous as they did?
Can you see yourself being brave enough to go the king on behalf of your people like Moses and Aaron or like Esther? Do you see yourself under great stress denying the king's commandment like Vashti -- or maybe Daniel? Can you imagine leading great armies like Joshua did? In the New Testa-ment, when Peter and the rest of apostles are brought before the Sanhedrin they declare they ought to obey God rather than man. Do you imagine yourself boldly making that statement?
I think we read these passages and gain such courage and inspiration from them that we forget these actions came at great cost. The apostles were beaten, jailed and ultimately did die for the cause of the Redeemer. Esther knew she was risking her life and Vashti probably knew she would lose her rights as queen even before she denied Ahasuerus' command. Often we don't think about the reality of the sacrifice they made - we just think about how heroic they were.
Maybe we are like Naaman. Maybe we lament the fact that God hasn't given us "some great thing" to do. Maybe somehow we don't think the little things count. We read about all the great heroes of the Bible and we forget that God demands every day service - not just "one big time and it's over" service.
That brings me to the story I shared with my preschooler's tonight. We studied about Jesus washing the apostles' feet. I know I am kind of switching gears mid-stream here, but please bear with me. Maybe I can tie it all in together shortly.
We all know how dirty and stinky feet can get even when you wear socks and shoes. We know how they get dirty even when we go most places in an automobile. We don't always wear sandals like they did back then. Even if we do, we don't walk everywhere we go. I imagine those apostles' feet were probably pretty dirty. And like one of students said tonight about his big brother's feet, some of them probably stank. But what did Jesus do? He performed one simple act of love and service.
Do you think this may have had an impact on these men? They were having their feet washed by their Teacher! And at that time, they still thought He was bringing an earthly kingdom to them. How could the man who was going to conquer the world and make Israel a proud nation again belittle Himself so that He washed their feet? He was trying His best to teach them a lesson of love and humility. He wanted them to know that simple acts of service do count. How many times had Jesus told them the first shall be last and the last shall be first?
Now back to Naaman. It seemed so simple to his servants. Just go now Master Naaman and get in that water and dip seven times. Just do what the prophet said. So what if your healing is not going to be a grandstand event? Just please go do it - so you can be clean. Why did his servants understand this so much better than Naaman? I think part of it was because they were already used to being servants. They already knew how to humble themselves and do what they were told to do. Naaman had a lesson to learn from his own servants.
One more short illustration -- look at Daniel. He was the brave prophet of God who was thrown into the lions' den. I want to ask you though, when did Daniel start praying? Did he wait until the king made a decree that it was against the law to pray and then all of a sudden say --"Oh this is awful - we can't allow him to do a thing like that" and then start praying? No. Daniel did what had already been his custom for years. He went to his house and prayed. This is what he did. three times a day, every day, all his life. Talk about ordinary and routine, how much more routine and ordinary can you get?
Oh, I do not really feel like I am saying this very well. The point I am trying to make is that little things do count. Simple acts of love and service go a long way. They make a great impact and set a wonderful example of someone faithfully serving the Lord. Ordinary and routine faithfulness is what God wants!! These are great things! These are acts of love and devotion -- which God will reward. Living your whole life faithfully to God may seem dull and humdrum to you. But think about Daniel praying every day all his life-- and Naaman's pride and his servants' prodding him to obey-- and Jesus washing His apostles' feet. I think little things do count. Maybe lifelong worship and service to the One and Only Living God is the "some great thing" we can do.
Christ above all things,
Robin
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