View Things Differently

~~~ 2 Kings 5: 1- 15 AB ~~~ Psalm 42 ~~~ Luke 4: 24-30 ~~~

"Amen, I say to you, No prophet is accepted in his own town."

Whenever Jesus begins a sentence with 'Amen' that means 

pay attention something important is to follow.

Amen means truth...verily...so be it...

Here we see Jesus speaking to the people of his own town of Nazareth.

The question has been asked if anything good can come out of this town.

The closer you are to a situation the harder it is to see clearly.

The locals were not able to get beyond the humble background

of Jesus. His family was not of the aristocratic segment of the population.

A child servant suggests that Naaman, 

who was stricken with leprosy, visit the prophet.

When he finally reaches the prophet 

he had in his mind an idea of what might take place.

But he was mistaken.

We believe that a miracle of healing takes place 

as a kind of spectacle.

We are mistaken too.

The prophet does indeed cure Naaman of his leprosy by directing him to

wash seven times in the waters of the river Jordan.

“Go and wash seven times in the Jordan,
and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.”

Naaman had been in these very waters previously with nothing
significant or healing occurring.
So why would this time be any different?
He was very familiar with this river just as the community of Nazareth
knew the family of Jesus.

God takes ordinary everyday things and changes them into something holy.
When God chooses to set apart something for his use
prepare to be amazed.
The ordinary will no longer remain ordinary.
Actually I am not sure if ordinary is a word God possesses.

Whatever God sets apart to be his chosen
 instrument is imbued with special graces.

The prophets were normal people that God blessed with special insight.

The waters of the River Jordan were made holy by God
to deliver healing to Naaman.
The waters blessed by God restored his skin removing all
signs of the leprosy.

Imagine the worst case of acne imaginable.
Leprosy was much much worse.
The cleansing of his outward appearance
must have profoundly changed his future life.

He was now able to be a contributing member of his society.
It was the at the urging of a child that he was healed.
This small child was instrumental in getting healing for her master.

Never think for a minute that you are not someone
 whom God would use.
God will use you if you let him.

 Blessed Mother Teresa considered herself
but a pencil in the hand of God.

Can you picture yourself in this position?
Try...See how it might feel.
You are his.