Faith in the Little Things

     One of the stories of faith from the scriptures that I like is the story of Naaman.  (2 Kings 5)  Naaman was a captain among the hosts of the Syrians, who were attacking the Israelites during his time.  He was a strong and valiant man, but had leprosy. 

     During one of the attacks, the hosts of Syria took an Israelite woman captive and brought her into Naaman’s house, where she served his wife.  Naaman must have been a kind master.  The Israelite woman liked him enough to help him.  She told her mistress that the prophet in Israel could heal Captain Naaman.

     Naaman heard from the servants of his house what the Israelite had said.  Naaman hoped these words were true, and the king of Syria sent a valuable gift to the king of Israel along with a message in behalf of Naaman.  The message was a request for Naaman to be healed. 

     The king of Israel (who I believe was Jehoram) was upset to receive the letter.  How could he heal the leprosy of this captain of the enemy?  He knew he didn’t have the power and feared the wrath of the king of Syria because of it.  Fortunately Elisha heard of the request.  He sent a message to the king directing him to send Naaman along.  Elisha would heal the man, stating he would do so in order to let Naaman know there was a prophet of God in Israel.

     So Naaman was sent to see the prophet of God.  There are so many different ways God could have decided to heal the leprosy.  The one He chose through His prophet was a simple one.  When Naaman arrived, Elisha sent a messenger to instruct him to dip seven times in the river Jordan.  After this he would be healed.

     At first Naaman was furious with the response.  How could Elisha not come out to see him, a captain of the Syrian host?  Furthermore, why should he be healed by such a simple thing?  Shouldn’t a great miracle be wrought to heal him of his leprosy?  So he left in anger.

     Fortunately, Naaman was a man who was humble enough to listen to those who served him.  One of his servants approached and said, “If the prophet had bid thee to do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?  How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” 

     Naaman really did hope he could be cleansed.  So he humbled himself and acted in faith.  He went to the river Jordan and dipped in it seven times as he had been instructed.  When he came out the seventh time, he was clean.

     This story is wonderful because of the simplicity of its message.  God doesn’t always work mighty miracles to respond to our hopes and faith.  In fact, He rarely works mighty miracles.  Instead He works through simple means.  So often we want mighty miracles to demonstrate the power of God.  He is God, after all.  So why not?  But why should God work mighty miracles when He knows it will help us grow more to have our answers given through simple yet true means?  So He works by small things.  He asks us to dip in a river instead of asking us to perform some mighty feat.

     I also love that Naaman was instructed to dip seven times instead of one.  Surely the Lord could have healed him after the first one, or the second, or the third.  Instead it was seven.  You could argue this is because seven was the number used to represent perfection in Israel, and maybe that had something to do with it. But I think it was because the Lord wanted Naaman to demonstrate his faith by having him perform the act several times.

     Imagine the scene.  Naaman, along with those who were with him, go to the river Jordan.  He dips in it the first time.  He comes out and sees no visible change.  He does it again.  Nothing changes.  A third time He goes in, comes out, and finds nothing different.  Perhaps he starts thinking, “This is ridiculous!  This Israelite just wanted to humiliate me in front of my men!  I’ll go in seven times and come out still a leper, and I will look like a fool!” 

     But he goes back in.  After three more times, there is still no change.  Nothing has happened to indicate things will be different the seventh time.  But he does go in the seventh time and when he comes out he is clean.  He was required to be persistent and put more thought and effort into his actions than one simple dip.

     In our trials, struggles, and difficulties, the Lord requires the same of us.  He doesn’t allow us to walk free of our difficulties after a single act of faith.  One simple dip isn’t enough.  Instead He asks us to stretch our faith, acting with persistence.  We must dip seven times, not just one.  Then, after we’ve persisted in faith, He steps in and grants us answers to our prayers.  That’s the way of God because that’s what helps us grow.