Prophets and Kings

She said to her mistress,

"If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, 

he would cure him of his skin disease."

So Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.

Therefore, the king of Aram said,

"Go and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel."

2 Kings 5: 3 - 5a

We always think we have a better idea.  The prophet, he was clearly told.  Even as specific as, the prophet in Samaria.  So why was Naaman sent to the king?  

A prophet doesn't sound very important, I guess. Especially to the king of a conquering nation of a different religion.  The king, surely, was the one with the power, the source of any miracles that the masses might have attributed to this insignificant holy man.  

There would be no going through lowly underlings for the vanquishing warrior.  He would go right to the top and demand his boon.  His would take pride in forcing his past adversary to receive his messenger, in rubbing salt in the wounds of the recent defeat, as he forced the king to grant his request.  

Yet the king could do nothing.  He knew he had no power from God.  He was horrified by the very implication and considered it an act of war.  Surely, he was aware that Elisha had the answer, but there's nothing to indicate that he asked.  Elisha had to make the offer himself.

Even the one who should have known best, had no faith in God's order.  A lowly prophet, what could he do?  Why would he even think of sending such an important commander to someone so beneath his notice?

A simple answer, a quiet one, with no fanfare, and theatrics and celebrity experts; how often do I too brush past the gift of God's answer, searching for a little more drama?