“If the prophet had asked you to do something hard and heroic, wouldn’t you have done it? So why not this simple ‘wash and clean’?” (II Kings 5:13)
Most Christian leaders are familiar with the story of Naaman in II Kings 5. Naaman was a military commander under King Aram of Syria. After contracting leprosy on the recommendation of a slave girl he sought out the prophet Elisha for healing. The prophet told him to go dip in the Jordan river seven times and he would be healed. Naaman thought this was far too simple. He wanted Elisha to perform a great and pompous ceremony that would trigger a supernatural event of healing. After all Naaman was used to wielding virtually unchecked power. So when all he got from Elisha was go dip in the Jordan, he was about to abandon his quest when another wise servant wise servant spoke truth into his life. He knew Naaman his master well enough to know he would willingly do something highly difficult to get healed. But was he willing to do something simple?
Author and pastor Mark Batterson makes this observation? “The reason why we don’t see miracles isn’t because we’re not willing to do difficult things. It’s because we’re not willing to do simple things. It is good old-fashioned obedience that sets the stage for miracles. That is all God asks. If we do the simple things, like dipping in the Jordan river seven times, God will do the difficult things. If we do the natural things, God will do the supernatural things. If we do the obedient thing, God will do the miraculous thing.
Just like athletes never outgrow the need to practice the basics, leaders must faithfully practice simple skills over and over. To be a great leader, become great at doing simple things.
Oswald Chambers said it this way: “It is inbred in us that we have to do exceptional things for God; but we have not. We have to be exceptional at ordinary things.”
(Difficult Things Versus Simple Things by Mark Batterson, Evotional 10/2/09)
