October
27
Tags
Grace in the Jordan
The work of artist Cody F. Miller has become some of my favorites. I have two prints of his hanging in my office. Stop by sometime and take a look. His pieces blend cut paper and paint, giving them a textured, layered look that feels both ancient and alive. In his artist’s statement, he writes,
“The paintings I have created are my thoughts on the rich and complex message of God handed down throughout history from less than perfect people.”
One of Miller’s works, Naaman Healed in the Jordan River, is based on a story from 2 Kings 5—a story that Jesus himself references in Luke 4:21–30. Jesus points to Naaman’s healing as an example of how God often sends prophets—and grace—to those considered outsiders. That message didn’t sit well with the “insiders” in his hometown, who liked the idea of being special and chosen, but not so much the idea of sharing God’s love with others.
Here’s a quick recap of Naaman’s story: Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram—a respected and powerful man—but he had leprosy. Desperate for healing, he went to Israel to seek out the prophet Elisha, bringing along a letter from the king, along with gold, silver, and fine clothing as gifts. When Naaman arrived, though, Elisha didn’t even come to the door. Instead, he sent a messenger to tell Naaman to go wash seven times in the Jordan River.
Naaman was furious. That’s it? No ceremony, no challenge, no grand act of worthiness? He stomped off in anger, insulted by such a simple command. But his servants gently reasoned with him: “If the prophet had asked you to do something difficult or heroic, wouldn’t you have done it? Why not obey this simple thing—‘wash and be clean’?”
So Naaman did. He went down to the river, washed, and was healed.
Why did Naaman react with such rage? Probably because his pride was wounded. He wanted to prove his worth—to show his status and wealth, to be treated as someone important. A man of his rank shouldn’t have to do something as ordinary as bathe in a muddy river. But grace doesn’t work that way.
We often fall into the same trap. We want to earn God’s favor—to show our goodness, our hard work, our accomplishments. We want to bring our “letters of recommendation,” our gold and silver, to prove that we deserve healing, love, or grace.
But grace can’t be earned. It’s not a reward for performance or status. It’s a gift—pure, undeserved, and freely given. All that’s required is the humility to admit our need and the openness to receive.
Being Human connection: As Paul reminds us: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8–9
Featured image: Naaman Healed in the Jordan River, Mixed Media, 2019. © Cody F. Miller. http://www.codyfmiller.com — used with permission.