Movers and Shakers

Every year, today’s Old Testament reading hits so close to home. Naaman, seeking to be cured of leprosy, is told by the prophet Elisha to wash 7 times in the Jordan river. Naaman is disappointed that Elisha didn’t perform some miracle right there and went away. His servants said, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it?”

I went to Princeton wanting to be a mover and shaker. In classes, we tackled problems such as moving entire countries to democracy and shaking up the bioethics world, so that babies would no longer be killed.

At the moment I am moving large piles of laundry from the washer to the dryer and shaking sand out of shoes. And I sometimes complain internally about the fact that I am not doing “incredible things.” And that stubborn pride starts to creep in, once again. I want to do something extraordinary. And then, convicted of my pride, I remember that the ordinary is extraordinary when offered to God and done with love.

Lent is a beautiful time to remember this once again. I should print out this Old Testament passage so I read it everyday (note to self: print this out and read it everyday). God is in the ordinary, which in turn makes everything extraordinary. Virgin most humble, pray for us!