The healing of character faults is often a necessary first step in the healing of disease and discord.

Take the case of Naaman. He was captain of the king of Syria's army—"a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria," the book of II Kings tells us. The account continues, "He was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper." ^{II Kings 5:1.} Then an Israelite maidservant to the wife of Naaman told her there was a prophet in Samaria who could heal him. So Naaman drove to the house of Elisha in his chariot and remained in it, expecting the prophet to come out to him and then in some dramatic manner heal the leprosy.

This account has appeared many times in the weekly Lesson-Sermon ^{In the Christian Science Quarterly.} that Christian Scientists regularly study. I had often pondered it, seeking its spiritual import, but had always considered the story only from the standpoint of Naaman. One day it occurred to me to view it from Elisha's point of view as well.

Here was Elisha—the spiritually-minded prophet, or we might say practitioner, for he had a record of beautiful healing works— sitting in his house when suddenly a man of obvious status appeared in front. There were horses and a chariot—the trappings of authority and prestige. It didn't take Elisha long to size up the situation, to detect the arrogance and self-importance of Naaman and the need of replacing these traits with humility and love. So he sent a servant to Naaman with a message to wash in the Jordan River seven times.

This directive, given by a servant, was an affront to Naaman's personal sense of himself. It stirred up the arrogance and egotism, and he left in a rage. But the healing process was already starting. Humility began to appear as Naaman willingly listened to his servants' urging to do as the prophet had directed. Humility developed as Naaman became willing to wash in Jordan seven times, and it was made evident when he actually did so.

Elisha knew, perhaps, that it would have been easy for Naaman to wash in the Jordan once or even twice. But seven times! That was a bit much. In the Bible the number seven is often used as a symbol of completeness. Was there not a need on Naaman's part for thorough purification and renunciation of the mortal, self-important sense of self? Naaman was healed of egotism and of leprosy; returning to Elisha, he stood before him and acknowledged the healing—a humble and a chastened man.

Personal sense is always egotistical. It parades its lie that life and intelligence are in matter, suggesting itself as the I of individual being. But personal sense, which is the basis of personal problems, has no entity, no origin or continuance. Its false claims, which give rise to egotism and conceit, yield to the gentle influence of the Christ—the spiritual idea of God—acting on human consciousness. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, writes, "Self-renunciation of all that constitutes a so-called material man, and the acknowledgment and achievement of his spiritual identity as the child of God, is Science that opens the very flood-gates of heaven; whence good flows into every avenue of being, cleansing mortals of all uncleanness, destroying all suffering, and demonstrating the true image and likeness." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 185.}

Like Naaman, do we at times need to wash seven times in the purifying waters of self-renunciation? If self-importance and self-will claim to be holding us in bondage to some physical problem, or if some form of sin or moral weakness is claiming to rob us of our health and joy, there is a way out. Each individual must at some time surrender the mortal sense of ego to the recognition of the one divine Ego. In the definition of "I, or Ego" in the textbook of Christian Science, Mrs. Eddy writes: "There is but one I, or Us, but one divine Principle, or Mind, governing all existence....All the objects of God's creation reflect one Mind, and whatever reflects not this one Mind, is false and erroneous, even the belief that life, substance, and intelligence are both mental and material." ^{Science and Health, p. 588.}

Christ Jesus' life was one of constant self-immolation. He said, "I can of mine own self do nothing." ^{John 5:30.} Always he attributed to God whatever good was achieved. He knew his human selfhood to be only the transparency through which God's work was seen. Jesus discerned the error that needed the healing touch of the Christ and through his spirituality brought the Christ-power to bear upon it. His understanding of perfect God and perfect man enabled him to destroy error and bring to clearer view the innate spirituality, holiness, and wholeness of those who came to him for healing.

In the textbook we read, "The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea,—perfect God and perfect man,—as the basis of thought and demonstration." ^{Science and Health, p. 259.}

The Christian practitioner of today needs the same spiritual perception that enabled not only Jesus but Elisha and other biblical characters to heal. This spiritual perception can be cultivated through prayer and practice: the prayer of acknowledging the spiritual facts of God and His reflection, man; and the practice of using these facts to refute and destroy the false claims of the senses. The truth of man's perfection shines like a ray of light throughout the Scriptures. There man is clearly defined as God's image, the likeness of Spirit. Man's innate harmony as divine Mind's own beloved idea is demonstrable truth.

Sometimes the error to be destroyed is not as blatant as the self-importance of Naaman; but one's own consecrated prayer or that of a practitioner will bring it to light if it seems hidden. Error should be uncovered as nothing claiming to be something real. And the clear recognition of God's allness and of man's inclusion in that allness is the sufficient remedy.

If we need the purifying waters of Truth—and who doesn't?— let us be humble enough to dip seven times, or seventy, if necessary, until our inviolable identity in Spirit's likeness is revealed as our only self. And if someone comes to us in need of this purifying, let us see him through the lens of our own Christliness and behold his Godlikeness. In this way healing will be manifest.

Dipping can be healthy!