I just read the story again about one of my favorite guys in the Bible: the Roman centurion, an unbeliever. He tells Jesus about his servant who’s deathly ill. Jesus offers to come with the centurion and heal the servant.
But here’s what’s great. The centurion humbly tells Jesus not to bother: “I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.” What respect! Then he says, in effect: “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. I know you can do this because I have the authority to tell those who are under me what to do. And you have authority over nature: you can command it do anything, if you want.”
Jesus is stunned: “I’ve never seen such faith among those who call themselves believers…. Go home. What you have believed will be done for you.” And the servant was healed at that very hour.
Contrast this with a passage a bit further on in the same chapter of Matthew’s gospel (chapter 8).
Jesus is in a boat with the guys who have lived with him day and night for months: the disciples. If any group of people is believers, these guys should be. A storm comes up and they shout at Jesus to wake up and save them. Now.
Jesus is stunned: “What little faith you have.” Then he does what they want. He reprimands the wind and the waves. He commands them to be calm: He stills the storm. And the disciples are stupefied at His authority over nature.
What a contrast!
The unbeliever who believes, demands nothing of Jesus, and recognizes His authority over nature.
The believers who don’t believe, demand that Jesus save them, and fail to recognize His authority over nature.
How can that be? How can a guy who probably never met Jesus before have such faith when the guys who heard his words, watched his walk, and saw him heal failed to have faith?
I am not sure I can figure it out. Maybe they were just too familiar with Him. Honestly, that’s all I can think.
Maybe I get too familiar with Him, too. When I stop and think about it, I have a high view of God. I realize who He is, how He deserves to be treated. But when I go though life minute by minute, I think I live more like the disciples in that boat. Help Jesus, I need a parking spot. Help Jesus, life isn’t going like I expected it to. Fix my husband. Fix my kids. Fix me!
Oh, Lord, give me the righteous fear of that Roman centurion, who so revered you that he hesitated to invite you home even though you would have gladly gone there. And although I know that you can do anything, I often demand you do it on my timetable. Who do I think I am to demand anything of You, God over the universe?
Right now I am convicted of my arrogance, but I’ll forget about it tomorrow. Help me not to forget, even though a part of me doesn’t want to remember. I just want to go on living like the disciples. But I really like that Roman centurion. And I’d really like to be more like him. Fix me …if you want, when you’re ready. Amen.
The words “believer” and “unbeliever” are simply badges we choose to wear. It’s what people brand each other with. Yet, it can never dictate what really matters… faith!
We should keep in mind that the Roman Centurion came to Jesus freely. No proof needed there. Yet, he had to break sweat just to convince the twelve to follow him. Basically, it only makes sense that if you have that much faith, surely you must be a believer.
It’s just that some people need a lot of work. And some just have it all naturally.
Countless times, I have met so-called disciples who are flat faithless. But also, truth seekers who had left the distractions of their worldly kitchens to sit in silence at the foot of spiritual knowledge.