Read: Matthew 8:5–13
The centurion had power. Soldiers followed his command, he held influence in the Roman system, and he likely had more wealth and resources than most people around him. If anyone could have tried to fix a situation on his own, it was him.
But when his servant got sick, none of that mattered. No amount of money or authority could change what was happening. So he did something unexpected: he turned to Jesus.
He didn’t send extravagant gifts or try to negotiate from a place of strength. He didn’t demand anything. He simply asked. And even more remarkable, he believed a word from Jesus would be enough. He believed Jesus could heal from a distance.
Jesus didn’t just answer the request. He stopped and pointed to the centurion’s faith as an example for everyone watching. This man of earthly power chose humility, and Jesus honored that publicly.
We live in a world that urges us to lean on our connections, our resources, or our ability to control things. But faith looks different. Faith admits, “I can’t fix this, but I know who can.”
Maybe you’ve been trying to manage everything on your own. Maybe you’ve been relying on what feels safe and controllable. But what if today is your moment to do what the centurion did—to lay down your strength and trust Jesus instead?