Beech Tree News Network

 Sometimes pride can get in our way and cause us problems. But you knew that.

            A lady from a nearby town accompanied a friend here to see Doctor Wan some years back. Doctor Wan practiced medicine in Morgantown for well over 50 years. He was not only a G.P., he was also a specialist – perhaps some folks did not know that.

            While in the waiting room the out-of-town lady had a stroke. Her friend and Doctor Wan rushed from the examining room. The stroke victim was lying on the floor. Doctor Wan wanted to immediately treat her; she shook her head no! She wanted to go back to her own home town hospital some 50 miles away… (I don’t trust this foreign doctor in this hick town”) were her thoughts, knowing her as I did; I knew her well.

            They took her beck to her own hospital an hour away. Her hospital sent her home. She died not long after that. “Pride goeth before a fall.” (Proverbs)

            Naaman was commander-in-chief of the Syrian army. He led his troops to many glorious victories. A great hero, highly admired by the King of Syria. However, he had one large problem: Naaman was a leper.

            When the Syrians invaded Israel, among the Jewish captives was a little girl. She had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid.

            One day the little Jewish girl said to her mistress (Naaman’s wife), “I wish my master would go and see the prophet in Samaria by the name of Elisha. He could show my master (Naaman) how to be healed of his leprosy.”

            So Naaman reluctantly went to see Elisha. When he arrived at Elisha’s door, Elisha sent a messenger out to tell Naaman to “go wash in the Jordan River seven times, and he would be healed of leprosy.”

            Naaman’s pride spilled over, he was terribly affronted: “I thought at least he would come out and talk face-to-face with me…” wave his hands over me and call upon his God to heal me.

            All the rivers in Israel put together are no match for even two of our rivers in Damascus. If it’s rivers I need, he said in a rage, “I’ll go home, and wash and rid myself of leprosy – that’s better than that muddy, stinking Jordan River.”

            Naaman’s officers reasoned with him saying, “If the Prophet Elisha had told you to do some great and difficult thing, would not you have done it. We urge you to try it; if it doesn’t work, what have you lost?”

            So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times like Elisha told him to do, Naaman’s flesh became as healthy as a little child’s and he was healed of leprosy. Then he testified: “There is no God in all the world like the God of Israel.”

Kindest regards…