Naaman's Faith

The story of Naaman from 2 Kings 5 presents us with a powerful lesson about obedience and humility before God. Here was a mighty commander, wealthy and respected, yet afflicted with leprosy that rendered all his power meaningless. What strikes us most is how healing came through the simplest instruction: wash seven times in the Jordan River. Not through elaborate rituals or impressive displays, but through humble obedience to God's word. Naaman's initial fury reveals our own tendency to rationalize God's commands or substitute our own ideas for His clear instruction. We want God to work on our terms, in ways that make sense to us. But faith isn't about understanding everything; it's about trusting God enough to obey even when we don't comprehend the why. The parallel to baptism in Acts 2 is unmistakable. When 3,000 souls asked what they must do to be saved, Peter gave them clear instruction: repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Like Naaman, they faced a choice—follow God's way or their own reasoning. The beauty is that both stories reveal God's consistency and His desire for our obedience not as a test of our strength, but as an expression of our trust in His goodness. When we surrender our pride and follow His instructions, we discover that God's ways truly are best, even when they seem too simple or don't match our expectations.