“So Jesus went with them…” Luke 7:6
It is an event in the life of Jesus that receives little attention. . .
The Elders of the Jews are leading Jesus to the home of a Roman.
It is not a part of the Trial of Jesus, and the Roman is not Pilate.
There on a road near Capernaum, this unusual group of people are joined by “friends” of the Centurion. This military man expresses his concern for “troubling” Jesus, his sense of unworthiness before him, and his faith that Jesus can heal his servant.
Biblical publishers have titled this little section “The Faith of the Centurion”, but there is another miracle that takes place here. It is in the gathering of these very different individuals for a common purpose. This unique image in the life of Jesus transcends stereotypes, and encourages us to do the same. Here, we see a beautiful interaction between those separated by religious, political, ethnic, and socio-economic status. There on the road, there is a meeting characterized by compassion, gratitude, humility, accommodation, and respect. The result? HEALING!
This happened because they were willing to put aside their differences, swallow their pride, and reach out to others who were different from them in so many ways. Everyone involved could have refused to “go” based on “principal”. Perhaps some did … and as a result lost their place in the story. Unwritten stories and missing characters are a great loss to the world.
THE POWER OF PERSONAL HUMILITY AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS IS WORLD CHANGING!
Philippians 2:3-5
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Scripture Reference: Luke 7:1-9
When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.
His Way With People 