We all like to be noticed, right? We want to be asked to do a job that is big and important. Something that will be noticed when we get done. Many people like to be in the spotlight so that when they do something it is noticed. Our human nature wants to feel important, appreciated, and needed.
Yet, although it’s good to recognize people, and let them know they have done a great job, sometimes God is going to call us to do the ordinary so that we don’t get the glory, but that God does. The man Naaman who had a skin disease, called leprosy, had a problem that many of us have. He wanted to do anything that would make him look better, stronger, or tougher but it was harder for him to do an ordinary thing, so God could do the extraordinary. We see that Naaman came to the prophet Elisha because, he had been told by his wife’s servant girl, that Elisha could heal him of his leprosy. Now remember Naaman was a man that had worked his way up in the ranks of the army. He had strips on his uniform and was well known for his leadership skills. He was a man that could be depended on yet, he had an annoying thing about him that he was ready to get rid of and that was his skin issue. So, when he heard that there was this guy that could make it go away, he was going! He took a bunch of gold, and gifts, and headed out with one of his officers. When Naaman finally made it to Elisha’s house, Naaman expected this man to come running out and just heal him. But, to Naaman’s surprise the man Elisha didn’t even come out of the house! He sent his servant to talk to Naaman. Naaman the man that was a high-ranking official felt slighted because a servant came to talk to him and then, to make things even worse, all the servant told him was to go and wash in the muddy Jordan river seven times. Naaman was so mad he stomped away and pouted. Naaman was headed home, he figured he could go to a river near to him and get the same results that bathing in the Jordan river could do for him. It was the words of his wise officer that stopped him. He said Naaman, if Elisha had asked you to do some great thing you would have done it. Why not humble down and just try. I can see his officer now saying look, were out here in the middle of nowhere, no one can see us, if it doesn’t work then what happens at the Jordan, stays at the Jordan. So, Naaman agrees, he immersed himself seven times and on that seventh time he came up healed!
How many times has God asked us to wash in the muddy Jordan, yet we rebel because its not what we want to hear, the word God gave us came from a place or person we didn’t want to hear it from. Or maybe we don’t do it because its NOT where everyone can see, that we did it. As a Christian were told that we must decrease so God can increase. It’s not till we take ourselves out of the spotlight and agree to let God use us in the small things, and in the quiet ways that we will be able to see God move in the BIG ways! Take a moment to reflect and ask God what is it that He has been trying to get you to do that you have let your pride of being noticed get in the way. And, ask God to help you step aside so he can step up!
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. (CSB)
Mark 9:35 Sitting down, he called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last and servant of all”. (CSB)