Simple Solutions

2 Kings 5; Psalm 119:9-11

Why do we protest simple solutions to big problems? This question is illustrated for us in 2 Kings 5 with the story of Naaman and Elisha. Naaman was an army commander who contracted leprosy--a nasty disease to be sure. He heard that a man of God named Elisha could heal him and so he traveled to Israel. Upon arrival he was told to go dunk himself seven times in the Jordan river to be healed. He balked and angrily turned away to go home. His servants said to him, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?" Naaman turned around, washed in the river and was healed.

Let us now apply this story to a more difficult problem than leprosy. As Christians we know that the Bible calls us to holiness, but we are often slow to make progress. Many of us halt progress altogether thinking that the solution must be something too complex or too difficult. To those who think this way I call your attention to Psalm 119. Listen to this simple solution:

How can a young man [or woman] keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

 The Psalmist is talking about memorization, a solution too simple for too many people. I have conversations like this:
J: How are things going?
X: I'm really struggling with _________________.
J: Have you been memorizing scripture?
X: No. What should I do?
J: Memorize scripture.
X: Yes, yes, I know, but what else should I do?
J: Memorize scripture.

This is the same mindset that caused Naaman to turn away from his cure. Are you turning away from the solution as well? If so, I hope you have good people around you like Naaman did--people that care enough to turn you in the right direction.

Let us now answer the question we posed at the beginning. The answer is not difficult. Pride keeps us from the river. We believe that simple solutions are an insult to our intelligence. We think, Why, if it were that easy I surely would have figured it out on my own! Admitting we missed something simple may wound our egos, but that may be just what God was looking to accomplish. After all, pride is the worst and subtlest of all sins.