“Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy… So he turned and went off in a rage. Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy” (2 Kings 5:10-14).

Naaman the Syrian was a man with quite a bit of fanfare surrounding him, and for good reason.

He was a mighty military leader, one of the more prolific of his time, who led his army to great victories. Thus, he commanded the respect of kings and leaders, not just in his own country, but in others as well.

When he came to be healed by the prophet Elisha, he did so with a great deal of pomp and circumstance. Unfortunately, his outward elegance (despite being a leper) was not reflected in the humility of his heart, at least, not at first.

Elisha the prophet was a man anointed with the Spirit of God, and as such, was not given to categorizing others based on social standing – something Naaman was apparently not accustomed to:

“I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy” (v.11).

When Naaman went to be healed by the prophet, he expected to be received as he was by others – with fanfare and kowtowing. As a result, he failed to see that the word of Elisha was, in fact, a word from God.

Luckily for him, God had other messengers in place. Because Naaman’s servants encouraged him to heed the word of the prophet, he did so, albeit reluctantly. The results were incredible. Not only was he healed of an incurable disease, but he also received something from God far more valuable than bodily health: the gift of faith and humility.

Has God placed someone in your life whose word you have yet to receive? Has God sent you wisdom from above that you’ve yet to recognize, perhaps because it wasn’t flashy enough, or because it came through the “wrong” sort of messenger?

Often when God speaks, it isn’t accompanied by mighty signs or flashy circumstances. It’s subtle, spoken in a still small voice, and can only be received in one way: with humility and obedience.

Has God given you a word that you’ve yet to act on? If you’re uncertain, take the time that is needed to sit with God and ask Him to reveal what you’ve missed. Remember, once you grasp it, obedience will be required. But if you receive it with obedience, the outcome could be life-changing.