Service is a Team Effort

Proper 9, Year C
 
2 Kings 5:1-14       or      Isaiah 66:10-14
Psalm 30                or      Psalm 66:1-9
Galatians 6:(1-6),7-16                                        
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20      

One of the key attributes of the Kingdom of God is that everything is somehow connected to everything else.  This includes not just the spiritual aspects of the Kingdom, but the physical, natural world as well. It's like a 3-D matrix! Therefore, everything we think, do, or say, has repercussions somewhere else, sometimes through time, which can result in something good – or something harmful.
 
Usually, when we wish to effect some change, like "move a mountain", we can't do it alone. Life is designed so that accomplishments require more than one person's involvement.  That's why "independence" is really an illusion.  We need other people, we need God.
 
Take for example, the case of Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, as described in 2 Kings.  This man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.  He was eventually cured of this disease, but it's interesting to see how many people were involved to make it happen.
 
It began with a young Israeli girl who had been taken as a captive by the Arameans.  As a servant to Naaman's wife, she knew that Naaman had leprosy, but she also knew that Elisha the prophet could help Naaman.  She began Naaman's healing process by telling her mistress about Elisha the prophet.  Did the Israeli girl cure Naaman? No, but without her simple act of service, it may have never happened. She used her current situation in life to do some good.
 
Naaman's wife was the next player in the process.  She must have brought the message to Naaman, for it was recorded that Naaman went to the king to report what the Israeli girl had said.  Did Naaman's wife cure Naaman?  No, but she played a part in the process.
 
The king of Aram was next to contribute to the healing of Naaman.  He wrote a letter of introduction for Naaman and arranged for silver, gold and garments to be used as payment for services rendered.  A number of chariots and horses and assistants were included in the entourage to make this all happen.  Who made the chariots?  Who drove them?  Who contributed the gold and silver, and who made the garments?  Who made the roads so that the journey could happen? The number of players in the healing keeps growing and growing.
 
The king of Israel then sent Naaman to Elisha the prophet. The king served the healing process by redirecting Naaman to the proper person and place, knowing that it wasn't he, the king, who could bring about the healing.  When Naaman reached Elisha's house, Elisha sent a messenger, yet another player in the saga, with instructions on what Naaman should do to be healed, "Go, wash in the Jordan River seven times, and your flesh will be restored and you shall be clean."
 
Naaman, being a man of stature and importance, expected more than just being given instructions from a messenger.  His ego got the better of him at this point, so he left without obeying the messenger.  Naaman's servants, however, intervened and convinced him to do what the messenger had asked. They, too, now played a role in his healing.  So Naaman did what he was told, and was eventually healed. (But it was the living waters of the Jordan River, through God, that ultimately did the healing – not Elisha himself!)
 
Often, to get things done, it takes the persistence of many people working together for the common good.  It's designed this way so that people learn to work together and realize that there is great power in interdependence, and that we are all part of the same human family.
 
Service, no matter what the object or goal, is a team effort.  Sometimes we may feel that the little things we do are worthless, and don't have any effect or do any good.  But Naaman's healing (which ended to be both physical and spiritual), may not have happened without the little acts of numerous people along the way.
 
A couple of key thoughts:
 
1) Never think that the little acts of service you do, whatever they may be, don't help in some way.  Each thought, word, and deed has an impact.  Often we may not see the end result of our service efforts, but God does, as well as the people who are eventually helped.  Whatever your gifts and talents are, use them lovingly.
 
2) Think about the last time you received help of any sort.  Some of the people who helped you may be known to you, but there are probably many more who contributed to this help that you don't realize.  How about offering a prayer of thanks to them every once in a while?
 
Blessings to all!