2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c; Luke 17:11-19 "But what if we don't believe the same things? How can we worship together? What if that person is hurting our community?" This is what I've been struggling with this week. What can those who worship death and cruelty have in common with those who want to love neighbors? Surely nothing! But then along comes Naaman, perpetrator of attacks on civilians, enslaver of children, and he receives healing.

Naaman is troubling for me, for the exact same reason that this moment in American history is deeply troubling and, frankly, embarrassing for me. But here it is - healing and accepting praise from someone I would love to write off. And that's going to color my thinking for a long time.