FAITH
Luke 7:1-50
“I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”
It took a non-jew to demonstrate great faith. It took a prostitute to show a religious leader how to express faith. Which goes to show that it has nothing to do with background or learning. These things, so valued by man, mean nothing to God, who looks into the heart.
It is common to think that great faith is when we believe that the impossible can happen. The more incredible the belief, the greater the faith. Even more if that faith is accompanied by “all or nothing” actions, meaning that we put ourselves in situations where if faith does not bring the desired outcome then we will lose all. Throw away your crutches; stop all medication; give away everything.
However, isn’t it more true that the greatness of our faith rests upon the greatness of the one we put our faith on? And do we really have faith in a great God if in our behaviour we fail to acknowledge the greatness of our God? The centurion believed in a great God; one whom he is not worthy to even have as a guest in his house! The rest of his actions were just logical extensions of that belief.
The woman said nothing, yet her actions spoke loudly as to who she considers Jesus to be. Even more, she has come to him with a burden that only God can release. No one else in the room believed Jesus could forgive. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
As for the widow, who knows what is in her heart, except our Lord. She was in a desperate situation. In the face of death, what can she ask for? When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” In times when our faith fails, but faith that must surely exist in the first place, our Lord does not.
“Young man, I say to you, get up!”