Pride

We were sitting together on the couch this morning and reading scriptures together, when we started reading one of my very favorite Old Testament stories.  It is found in 2 Kings chapter 5.  It is the one with Elijah and Naaman.  Naaman was a rich man who got leprosy.  The servant of his wife told her about the prophet Elijah, and that he could heal.  The wife asked Naaman to go and see Elijah.  So, Naaman went.  When he arrived at Elijah's house, he was met by a servant who told him to go and wash in the Jordon River seven times.  Naaman was angry.  He thought the rivers in Damaskas were even more mighty than the River Jordan.  He was not going to do it and he left.  His servant asked him: 

My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?  how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

I can't help thinking how like Naaman we can be.  It is not the big things that we might be asked to do that bother us.  It is the little, inconsequential everyday things that seem to cause us the most problems.  Heavenly Father was not trying to show Naaman how mighty the Jordon River was.  I think He was trying to teach him how important it is to follow the prophet of the Lord in all things, especially the small ones.  Just because Naaman was a great man did not mean that the Lord was going to heal him in a great way.  It was necessary for Naaman to learn to humble himself and trust in Him who knows all things. 
In my own life, I have discovered how much it is the small things that really matter.  The tone of my voice, the gentleness of touch, the whispered words of encouragement and love.  All of those things mean much more than the things of the world that we can get so lost in.  Often, I think that I want to show my love in great ways, yet, if I will only look, I will see that I am surrounded by millions of little ways that all bear witness of the great gift of Love.    Each of us, just like Naaman, get the chance to decide what is most important in our lives.  Is it pride?  Or is it obedience to the small, simple commandments?  Is it the things of the world?  Or is it the teachings of God?  What are you going to choose?