Don't Get Mad, Get Glad - She Said

“Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. 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. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage." 2 Kings 5:8-10 (NIV)


Listen to Don't Get Mad - Get Glad

“She stepped onto the porch and gazed at the furniture. Memories, she thought. So many memories.”

I’d worked hard. Couldn’t he see that? My friend believed in my writing skill. He believed in it before he really knew me and when he offered to mentor me, I was thrilled.

I thought he’d be pleased with the chapter I’d written. But he wasn’t. Instead, he came back at me with an odd suggestion. “Here’s a photo. Describe it and send it back.”

That’s it, I thought. Describe a photo. What about the chapter? I’d described it well, or I thought I had.

“Just describe the photo. What do you see in the picture?” He said.

I tossed my rabbit slipper across the room. I thought he’d give me some real direction. Show me how to craft the words. Give me an instant fix. But he didn’t. Instead of doing what he asked, I got mad.

Elisha gave Naaman a simple solution for his leprosy. Go to the Jordan and wash seven times. It wasn’t hard. In fact, it was such a simple request, that Elisha sent his messenger to share the instructions. Naaman got mad and felt insulted. Why seven times instead of once? Why not the rivers of his hometown instead of this muddy trough? Who was this man of God who wouldn’t even take the time to speak?

Like Naaman, I couldn’t get past my own pride either—couldn’t see what my friend was trying to teach me. Some explanation might have helped me understand his simplistic request, but there was none. I could see and describe or sulk and stay mad.

Jesus walked the city streets giving simple instruction. His teachings were for those who wanted to be healed, made whole and helped. He offered simple commands for complicated lives. Commands like, forgive, love, help others before you help yourself.

When you come to the Father with a request and His answer is simple, don’t get mad. Be glad. Do what He asks. His wisdom is right and true. Accept His instruction, apply it and watch the changes occur.

“She walked onto the porch, the sun streaked across the planked floor. A nail raised above the slat next to the wicker rocker. She remembered catching the toe of her sock and tearing it. Hawk never fixed it. Melon green paint peeled in chunks from the old wood rocker and his book and glasses lay in the same spot on the rattan end table, exactly where they were fourteen months earlier. The braided rug remained crumpled against the screening around the porch. She sighed. Memories. So many memories.”

Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and co-founders of ChristianDevotions.us. They co-write the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host BlogtalkRadio's Christian Devotions Speak UP! along with Scott McCausey.

And now you can catch them each Friday evening at 7 p.m. on He Said, She Said Radio! (Call in number, 646-929-0706 ). They travel with Christian Devotions Ministries teaching the art of writing devotions at writers conferences across the country. Eddie and Cindy are featured in Faith & FINANCES: In God We Trust - A Journey to Financial Dependence.




Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9822065-4-6
Price: $9.95