The simple and the unsophisticated

This is a tribute to those men and women who respond with simplicity of heart when the Lord tells them what to do.

The Syrian general Naaman had leprosy, and on his servant girl’s advice, rode all the way to Samaria to get healing from the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 5). That was humbling enough, but when he arrived, Elisha didn’t even bother to leave the house to greet him, but sent instructions through a servant. The instructions for his cure were not some heroic feat such as slaying a dragon or fetching a hundred foreskins. Rather, he was told to go dunk seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman was furious and started heading home. It was only the tactful advice of his servants that convinced him how good it is that he was asked to do something so simple. Naaman dunked and was healed and went home rejoicing.

King Joash came weeping to Elisha when nations were breathing down his neck (2 Kings 13). The prophet told him to take the arrows in his hand and strike the ground. It was an opportunity for Joash to participate in an enacted prophecy symbolizing his victory over Syria. But he was embarrassed at the simple instructions of God, so struck the ground three times. Elisha was angry. He said Joash would now only strike Syria three times rather than more.

A company of prophets gathered wild gourds and sliced them into a pot for dinner, not knowing they were poisonous (2 Kings 4). When they realized it, they cried to Elisha for help, and he told them to put some flour into the pot. If they taken an arrogant attitude and refused to do something so simple, they would all have died. But they obeyed with childlike faith, and the pot of stew was made wholesome to eat.

Jesus told a man who was born blind to “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (John 9). Just imagine. That man had to believe Jesus enough to start walking in the direction of the pool, and had to be humble enough to do something simple and unsophisticated.

Read your Bible simply, like a child. There are many things God tells us to do. Do not complicate the simplicity of His words with intellectual overlays that end up nullifying His words. Christ loves the simple.