Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed!’” 2 Kings 5:13
So often we want God to give us something important to do, something that others will notice and be impressed by. Or we want God to use us to heal someone in an obvious way rather than have our prayers answered by a gradual improvement over time. Or we want God to use our prayers to intervene in a dramatic way rather than in small increments. Instead, we find God asking us to do the small, unimportant, unnoticed tasks—a prayer here, a helping hand there, without any noticeable miracles.
We don’t see these small tasks as significant. They don’t appear to make a difference so we’re reluctant to complete them. We don’t see the bigger picture that God has in mind. In Exodus God told the Israelites that they would drive out the enemy “little by little” and in the process, they would grow (23:30). This is what God is looking for—spiritual growth.
Naaman couldn’t see the big picture. God wasn’t just interested in healing his body but wanted him to grow spiritually. God sees humility is a valuable fruit in a person’s life and God may put people through difficult situations to see it produced. It might mean being placed in humble circumstances like Naaman, where there is no audience, no applause or fanfare.
What will our attitude be to the small, apparently insignificant tasks that God asks us to fulfil? Are we grateful for God’s help however it comes to us? Or are we more concern about outward appearances?
