Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Inspired by 2 Kings 5:13-14

"In one of Naaman's raids against Israel the Syrian had carried off a little Israelite girl who became a servant of Naaman's wife. One day she said to her mistress, "I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria. He would cure him of his disease....
So Naaman went with his horses and chariot and stopped at the entrance to Elisha's house. Elisha sent a servant out to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River and he would be cured of his disease. But Naaman left in a rage saying, 'I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the Lord his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot and cure me.' Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now, why can't you just wash yourself as he said, and be cured? So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured."

I sat in church still thinking about the gospel reading that morning. Indeed, people want the extraordinary, including me. We love the magical, the mysterious, the special. But most of the time, God only asks us to do the ordinary. His power can be and will be manifested even in the ordinary. A simple antibiotic can cure that infection. You just have to consult a doctor. A simple problem can be confronted and faced instead of waiting for God to miraculously dissolve everything in thin air. Even the miracles that we are praying for may be given to us in the most ordinary form. The simplicity of the solution can sometimes amaze us and we find it difficult to accept and comprehend.

Another message which emanated from this reading was the fact that God can choose anybody He wants to carry His message. The little girl is just a servant but she did not feel insecure nor intimidated. For her, the truth of the message is more important. She did not withhold the message because of her stature.

I was awestruck and in complete wonder as I contemplated on this when suddenly a child dressed in worn-out shirt and shorts approached me with his forlorn face and begged in Tagalog, "just for a piece of bread..." He startled me. I looked him in the eyes and told him, "not in here." When he left I can only sigh and gaze at the cross. No use going back to my prayer. The Man on the Cross was leading me out. There was an ordinary message that needed to be imparted to the child so I went out of the church and saw him at the entrance door. I searched inside my bag for my car keys and he saw me. He approached me using the same dialogue, "just for a piece of bread..." with his hand extended out to me and once again wearing the forlorn expression on his face. Looking into his eyes I addressed him, "You know why I don't want to give you money? Because you may fall into the habit of begging. You will grow up as a beggar. You should learn how to earn it. Come, you can assist me with the traffic as I move my car." I think I scared the wits out of him by talking to him, instead of just ignoring him.

As soon as I entered my car, I lowered down my window and I saw him just standing there. "Guide me so I don't hit my rear." So he proceeded as told. Actually, I did not really need him to do that. There were no other cars behind and I could easily see from my rearview mirror and side mirrors. But what I wanted to instill in the boy is the dignity of labor and the principle that no matter how poor you are, you can help and serve others. Then I handed him a P5.00 coin and told him, "That's the way to go. Don't get used to begging for money." He nodded and said thank you.

As I drove away, I saw him from my rearview mirror hopping with a huge smile on his face. Was that because he received money or because he felt immensely satisfied that he "earned" his money? I can never tell. All I know is that as humans, we are all created in the image and likeness of God. And when He created the earth and the universe, He worked for six days. And at the end of each of those days, He stopped and looked at what He created and got immense satisfaction from the work of His hands and said, "It is good." He found fulfilment in His work. That is the essence of the dignity of labor. We work because God Himself worked and is continually at work. I also managed a smile. There was also an immense satisfaction in being able to convey that message to the little boy. I feel just as helpless as a lot of people around about the many streetkids roaming around begging for alms. I have an extraordinary solution: to open a streetkid center along major roads which will feed these children, clean them and "brainwash" them about the dignity of labor and their dignity as human beings. They are free to come and go because the process will take slowly and gradually to have lasting effect. But right now, I do not have the extraordinary resources for that, so in the meantime, I have to make do with my ordinary solution.