Naaman must have had great...
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Naaman must have had great self-discipline to endure the burden and handicap of leprosy. It was a dreadful disease and required its victims to be kept in isolation or quarantine. People shunned lepers and would refuse to touch them, eat with them, or even talk with them. Fortunately, Naaman took the necessary action when he learned there might be a way out of his trouble. It required him to swallow his pride, even to the extent of humbling himself to disrobe and bathe in the muddy Jordan River. But whatever the cost, it is wise to get rid of needless burdens, whether they are physical or mental. A story I read told of a girl who suffered from a terrible and uncontrollable temper. She struggled against it because it broke up potential friendships and constantly threatened her with humiliation in her social and business relationships. Although she tried to control it, the temper still got the better of her and she gave up trying. She "accepted the imperfect as a penalty instead of claiming the perfect as a birthright," the author said. Often we do the same. Imperfection is so normal and human that we are willing to live partly crippled, when we should be claiming deliverance through faith in God's power and grace.
