We may sometimes hear about people who bargain with God, perhaps treating God as a cosmic magician who will give little people what they want if we do the right things – going to church, tithing, or giving up bad habits. Conversely, some think that they need to do something big for God in return for some type of miracle. The Old Testament lesson features the story of a powerful army general who's asked to do something simple – take a bath in a small desert river. And we, who have many more technological and education resources than anyone in Biblical times had may be tempted to think that we will have to do things that are much more complex to earn God's favor or make a difference. But the surprising reality is that changing the world is as simple when all of us together remember what Jesus' taught us: love God and love our neighbor.

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