Belonging - Day 31
Mathew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.
As the story continues, Jesus finds himself at a loss for words, almost, when it comes to the interaction with this man. I don’t think Jesus gets amazed too often, but this man’s faith floored Jesus. It floored Jesus so much that he had to take a moment to rebuke his disciples and all those of Hebrew descent who followed him. His rebuke was swift and had elements of the Old Testament banquet table included. His warning is such that people who think they are safe might not have a seat at the table because of their lack of faith.
This Roman officer had a faith that was not tainted by doctrine, not diminished by culture, and was not biased by ancestry. Rather, it was the faith of someone who has just met Jesus and understands that there is something inherently special, powerful, and loving in this God/Man. The Roman officer did not hesitate to ask for a favor, knowing that this man was for him and not against him. He was willing to look like a fool, something that would have happened had Jesus said “no” to him, because of both his love for his servant and his belief in the goodness of Jesus.
I think the rebuke Jesus gives his followers is one we should probably heed today. There is no question that we believe in Christ, but do we really have the faith that it takes to change our lives, to see him for who he really is, and to carry us to places that are uncomfortable, unsettling, and even cause us risk? We often don’t, for comfort is a powerful aphrodisiac. But this man had no trouble risking it all for someone he loved and cared for.
And Jesus did not disappoint. Jesus not only healed the man, but told the man to go back home, as this is a done deal! I am sure the man had many gracious words for Jesus that are not recorded, and I wonder if his trip home was an exercise in excitement, waiting to see if the servant was truly healed, and hoping beyond hope that everything was better. What an incredible affirmation of his faith when he rounded the corner and probably saw the servant waiting for him outside, ready to run and thank the officer for going out of his way.
As the story continues, Jesus finds himself at a loss for words, almost, when it comes to the interaction with this man. I don’t think Jesus gets amazed too often, but this man’s faith floored Jesus. It floored Jesus so much that he had to take a moment to rebuke his disciples and all those of Hebrew descent who followed him. His rebuke was swift and had elements of the Old Testament banquet table included. His warning is such that people who think they are safe might not have a seat at the table because of their lack of faith.
This Roman officer had a faith that was not tainted by doctrine, not diminished by culture, and was not biased by ancestry. Rather, it was the faith of someone who has just met Jesus and understands that there is something inherently special, powerful, and loving in this God/Man. The Roman officer did not hesitate to ask for a favor, knowing that this man was for him and not against him. He was willing to look like a fool, something that would have happened had Jesus said “no” to him, because of both his love for his servant and his belief in the goodness of Jesus.
I think the rebuke Jesus gives his followers is one we should probably heed today. There is no question that we believe in Christ, but do we really have the faith that it takes to change our lives, to see him for who he really is, and to carry us to places that are uncomfortable, unsettling, and even cause us risk? We often don’t, for comfort is a powerful aphrodisiac. But this man had no trouble risking it all for someone he loved and cared for.
And Jesus did not disappoint. Jesus not only healed the man, but told the man to go back home, as this is a done deal! I am sure the man had many gracious words for Jesus that are not recorded, and I wonder if his trip home was an exercise in excitement, waiting to see if the servant was truly healed, and hoping beyond hope that everything was better. What an incredible affirmation of his faith when he rounded the corner and probably saw the servant waiting for him outside, ready to run and thank the officer for going out of his way.
- Have you gone out of your way for someone you cared about?
- Have you gone out of your way for someone you didn’t know?
- How can you explain how much Jesus cares for someone?
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