Simplicity

     Our Sunday School lesson today was taken from 2 Kings, chapter 5. I will try to sum up the simplicity of the lesson.  It is about proud, turned into humility, and the simplicity of healing. 
     As the story goes, Naaman, a commander of the king's army, highly regarded and a brave warrior had a skin disease of leprosy.  In one of his raids he brought back from the land of Israel a young girl.  Instead of resentment, she cared enough to tell of a prophet, one who represented the one true God.  She said, "If only my master would go the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his skin disease."
     Naaman was so desperate to be healed that he made the journey loaded up with "750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 changes of clothes."
     Upon arrival at the prophet's home, he was met by the prophet's servant and told to "go wash in the Jordan and you flesh will be restored and you will be clean."  Naaman became angry. You see, the healing process seemed too simple, the river was dirty and beneath him.  He also lacked humility and faith.   He obviously was expecting the prophet, himself, to meet him and perform some type of ritual.  How dare he just sent out a lowly servant to give him instructions.  Secondly, the Jordan river was dirty and nasty unlike many others which were clear and clean.  Why choose this one? 
     However, with encouragement from his men, Naaman finally did as the prophet's message instructed and, to his surprise, "his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean."  Whereupon, Naaman returned to the prophet in order to present him with the gifts of riches he had brought in exchange for this healing, but the prophet would not accept them.  He simple said, "Go in peace."
    What is the point of this story, you may ask.  Healing for Naaman turned out to be a simple humbling process.  There were no demands and no request for payment.  This is much like the spiritual healing which God provides.  
     God's plan, the cross, is one of humble simplicity.   God send His messenger, Jesus, to give us the healing we all need.  If we will simple accept the name of Jesus and His cross, God will say, "I am well pleased, go in peace."