One of the unique features of Luke’s gospel is that he focuses on Jesus’ interactions with non-Jewish persons. In Luke 7, we read about Jesus’ interaction with a Roman Centurion. What is interesting about this account is the lessons it has to teach us about faith.

The account begins with the Centurion sending some Jewish elders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. The elders make the case that the Centurion is worthy for Jesus to go and do this (Lk. 7:3-4). We are not told why, but Jesus decides to go to this man (Lk. 7:6).

As Jesus is on his way, the Centurion’s friends come to relay a message to Jesus. The Centurion says Jesus doesn’t need to go to his home, for he is not worthy. All that is necessary is for Jesus to say the word, and the servant will be healed (Lk. 7:7-8). Jesus marvels at the level of faith this man has. He even said that He had not found such great faith in all of Israel.

The lessons for us are twofold. Like the Centurion, we have not met Jesus, seen any of His miracles, or heard Him preach. Yet, there is enough evidence for us to come to faith as the Centurion did (Lk. 7:3; Jn. 20:29-31). The second lesson is if we are to have the same kind of faith as the Centurion, then it needs to be rooted in Christ and not myself. The Jewish elders saw him as worthy of this miracle, but the Centurion knew the truth: he was not worthy. If anything were going to happen, it would come through the goodness and power of Christ.

If we can place our complete trust in God, recognizing our unworthiness and total dependency upon Him, then we can have the same kind of faith that made Jesus marvel.