A commander, a king, a prophet, and a slave all walk into a Bible story, specifically, Naaman's story. While you'd suspect those with impressive titles would play a leading role in the story, there are some surprises. Often times, we think that our status determines our worth but God isn’t impressed with our title. He doesn’t need our title to tell his story and when we allow our title to become our identity, it goes against his plan. On the outside, Namaan was powerful, having everything he wanted but not what he needed. He needed to be cured of leprosy, a skin disease considered unclean. The king of Israel for example, despite being king, just didn't know what to do. He panicked. Yet, it was the bold faith of the slave girl who set the course for Naaman's miracle in motion. This goes to show that we can't let the pride of the titles we hold, or lack thereof, deter us from what God wants to do in our lives. God doesn't need our position, he wants our faith. Naaman did get his healing, but if he held on to his title, held on to his pride, it would have ended differently—we may not have heard of his story today. It takes humility to follow through on what God instructs. But just think, it could be your obedience to God’s process that tells your story for generations to come.

Will you trust the process before you have proof of the progress?

1. Earthly vanity steals a heavenly remedy

Frequently, our desire to give up an investment, an effort, or a relationship is preceded by “It’s not what I thought.” Namaan gets angered by the simiclipty of God’s request to dip into the Jordan because he thought he deserved something better. With pride, entitlement and offense come easy. Yet, God’s solutions require humility and obedience, which are fundamental. Don’t let vanity rob you of the remedy.

2. Earthly persistence is part of the heavenly process

If Naaman would have stopped at his sixth dip into the river, he wouldn’t have received healing, even though he got through most of the process. To be sure we follow God's process, we have to stick to the fundamentals of our faith by being diligent in putting God first, obeying him, praying to him, and loving him. God responds to our persistence.

As humans at times we see more value in one person over another. Our faulty view can seep into our thoughts on how God sees us. But God is not a respecter of persons, he sees us all as his children, whom he loves, and can use any of us in any way he chooses. God's purpose for our lives may not look like what we thought it would. We must set our perspectives and pride to the side, listen to what God has to tell us and be obedient to his voice. When we live a life of humility our knowledge of God says, “He can,” our faith in God says, “He will,” and our commitment to God says, “Even if he doesn’t ... I’ll remain faithful.” Don’t miss out on the mission God has for your life because of what you thought it should be. Grand gestures aren't always needed when we serve a mighty God. Be faithful where you are and see the blessing of God.