What Humility!

Luke 7:2-3

New International Version

There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. ³ The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.

For Encouragement

How far will you go to seek healing for your servant?

In a world where class and the worth of a person determine the level and extent of attention and help one gets, the centurion in Luke chapter 5 stands out as a unique and exemplary personality.

The Bible says he loved his servant, and that is noteworthy. It set him apart from the other Roman army officers in Israel. Though they were disciplined, efficient, and highly organized, the people saw them as oppressive and arrogant. Against that background, his deep love and care for his servant were exceptional.

This centurion in Capernaum had gained an excellent reputation among the Jewish community. He loved the Jews and cared for their interests. To promote their spirituality, he built a local synagogue for them—perhaps a sign of his openness to Judaism. Obviously, the Lord was working on his heart like that of Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts 10).

The centurion crossed every social barrier to seek help for his dying servant (Lk. 7:1-3). Jesus had just entered town, and having heard about Him—His teaching, healing, and miraculous ministry—the centurion asked the Jewish elders to request a favor on his behalf: a house visit to heal his servant.

The elders said the centurion was worthy of the privilege because of his benevolence. However, the officer saw himself as undeserving of that house call and favor. That is the irony of our time, too—how we raise people of social status above proper protocols to receive preferential treatment in the church. Meanwhile, those people know in their hearts that they do not deserve those privileges.

No one is worthy enough to deserve preferential treatment before the Lord, certainly not because of our works. That wouldn’t get a pass from Jesus when He sits to judge the world. It is all grace or nothing.

However, the Master obliged because to Him, all such requests were opportunities for object lessons and for the revealing of His glory. The plea from the centurion was to show his extraordinary faith, uncommon in Israel—a faith that receives (9). His message to Jesus was simple but poignant.

Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof (Lk. 7:6).

What humility! What demonstration of a person who sees himself as unworthy before the Holy. The centurion recognized the uniqueness of Jesus and something about Him that set Him apart from every other Jewish official. He asked for the house call, but as Jesus approached his house, His magnificence and power overwhelmed him, and he realized he was undeserving of the Lord’s presence.

How about you? Do you feel the power and majesty of God’s presence in all things? It is only when we sense His holiness that we see our unworthiness but for grace, and that, my friend, is when our hearts humbly bow in true worship.

Tomorrow we will talk about his faith.

Pray with Me

Father, thank you for the example of the centurion of Capernaum in humility and true worship. Help us by your Spirit to see you in this light always, so we too can worship you in holiness, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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