Monday of the Third Week
Naaman, the commander of the King of Aram’s army had leprosy. The King’s servant recommended Naaman travel to Israel and be cured by a prophet she knew of there. Doing so, Naaman first went to the King of Israel—assuming he was the most powerful in that land. But Israel’s King disappointed Naaman when he explained that kings were unable to cure leprosy. Learning of Naaman’s situation, the prophet Elisha sent for him. Naaman went to Elisha and as instructed by him washed seven times in the Jordan. Unlike the Israelites who did not recognize the prophet, Naaman sought him out, was cured and believed.
Much later, Jesus maddened the people of the synagogue in Nazareth when He related that despite disease and famine in the time of Elisha, Elisha was not accepted by his own people—only by two foreigners, the diseased Naaman of Aram and a starving widow from Sidon.
How do we sort the barrage of messengers and messages coming our way today? Messengers of all sorts—political, commercial, scientific, religious... . Are we more easily persuaded by messengers of our liking? Are we drawn to believe the messages we find agreeable and to reject others? The people of Nazareth were outraged by Jesus as messenger and His message. Could they not see and accept Him for who He was?
How do we discern fact from fiction, sound from unsound, wise from not? Should we focus more on the message and less on the messenger? Should we seek out corroborators and evidence before reaching conclusions? Do we too quickly dismiss flamboyant blabbermouths and embrace more restrained speakers who appear thoughtful? Perhaps we should recall the maxims, “Beware of beautifully articulated and well documented wrong answers” and “Truth even when brutishly conveyed remains true”?
Prayer
Open our eyes Lord, open our ears, open our hearts. Help us to look beyond distractions and discern messengers and messages of truth and the paths that bring us closer to You. Amen.
Church Hindes
Class of 1969
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