In this week’s lesson we learn of Naaman, a commanding, important man in Syria. Yet, like anyone, he was subject to mortal afflictions and in this case, leprosy. Naaman was healed by the prophet Elisha, but his process was one of humility. At many junctures he laid down his pride and disbelief; when taught through his wife and her maid, confronted with a young messenger instead of being met face to face by the prophet, admonished by a servant, and ultimately submitting to seemingly overly-simple instructions to “wash and be clean” in the river. Naaman is an example of dismissing what may have seemed foolish, and through “small and simple things” saw great things brought to pass. He was healed of leprosy and returned with “flesh like a child’s.”
In our day we are plagued with mortal afflictions that threaten our spiritual and mental health, our lives and salvation. There is a simple cure, often overlooked for the powerful healing and direction it can have in our lives. The truths of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” are often dismissed as foolish by worldly standards. It was not delivered to us on golden plates by angels, discovered in caves, or written with fire on tablets of stone. For many, the simplicity of 15 modern-day prophets sitting in counsel together and with the spirit, to prophecy and teach what we would need for our day, is difficult to accept. But we can be strong and wise like Naaman. We know, “The Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.”
Our world needs healing and cleansing—and it is possible through the truths taught in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”
art: Ryan Radke