2nd Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
These verses of scripture contain very valuable lessons for the Christian in that they teach us the importance of little things in life. Naaman was terminally ill with leprosy, a disease for which there was no known cure back then, and so, upon the recommendation of his little maid, he came to seek the prophet Elisha for healing. As he approached Elisha's humble residence, He probably desired to impress the prophet with his importance, but Elisha instead sent out his servant Gehazi with a simple instruction for Naaman to go wash in the Jordan river seven times.
Apparently the very simplicity of the command was an offense to Naaman's pride and he turned away in a rage. His servants however, observing his attitude reasoned that it was a simple command that was given, and since he had nothing to lose, it would be worthwhile to at least give it a try. Naaman acceded and the result is history, for as soon as he obeyed, the sure result was immediately realized.
Often in our lives God gives us instructions pertaining to the little things, instructions which seem to make no sense whatsoever, and like Naaman we often turn away in a rage and thus leave the blessings behind. God has given simple instructions to promote our happiness and joy as we interact with each other, and when the commands thus given are adhered to, the sure result also comes to fruition. For instance He tells us how to foster peace, joy, and contentment amongst ourselves as brethren. Let's read:
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
When these instructions are followed by the grace of God, the effect will be peace and assurance forever, but the instructions also apply to those who are married, those spouses who sometimes have conflicts to resolve and hurdles to surmount. We should remember that everyone who has accepted Christ have cultivated and inherited tendencies to evil, and therefore the tenor of the Bible as pertains to our interactions, is to foster peace through simple acts of kindness and good will. Let's read:
Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 9 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
When these simple instructions and commands are carried out consistently, they effectively stem the tide of satan's efforts to drive wedges between husbands and wives, and that's why like Naaman we should not be focused on doing some great thing, but should rather be content to adhere to the little things that make life a blessing.
In our day we are bombarded with concepts of independence, and many, even amongst Christians balk at the idea of self-sacrificing love for the good and well-being of each other, and as a result, in many families is seen a reluctance to surrender our likes and preferences for the common good. God is now calling for a change of heart, for us to pay attention to the little things, the courtesies the kindness, the patience, the forbearance, and the forgiving spirit, for if these things are put in place, we will produce an atmosphere that is conducive to spiritual growth and mutual harmony in all of our interactions with each other.
We therefore end with a text which reminds us of the blessings of adherence to all of God's commands, whether little or great, for in their fulfillment lies our joy and success. Let's read:
Deuteronomy 4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. 40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and doing of His every word. God bless!