“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, NIV)
The disciple of Jesus does well to guard against the popular temptation to be “heroic,” as in aspiring only to do something “big” for God. God is not impressed with heroism; but God is impressed with obedience — particularly, obedience in the smallest things.
Naaman (a hero in his own right as a warrior and as the commander of the king’s army), was ready to do the big thing for God. He became angry when he was asked to do a menial task toward the same result.
Remember, it pleased God to deploy a youthful novice with a slingshot against Goliath’s sword and the shield; it pleased God to use a little boy’s lunch of fish and bread to satisfy the multitude’s hunger; it pleased God to rely on the simple testimony of common women and men to announce the resurrection of Jesus.
Be ready, always, to do the “small” thing in obedience to God. – Luther
