Compassion and humility

Luke 7 : 1 - 1 0

"Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof"

As a doctor, I have had the chance to notice how employers treat their foreign workers when they are sick. Sometimes, when employers bring them to the clinic, I can see from their expression that they are just doing their 'duty', unwillingly. There have been some employers who 'have a word' with me first to inform me that their worker may be just lazy and putting on a show. Sad to say, there was a time when an injured worker was brought by his fellow worker. I had to refer him to a hospital, but his employer was not around to take him. Of course there are many other employers who are truly concerned and do want their workers to get better and are willing to pay for the whole cost of treatment.

When I look again at the centurion, what strikes me first of all is his compassion for his servant, whom he valued highly. This servant was sick and about to die. It is amazing that an important person like the centurion should care for his servant. In those days servants (or slaves) were a class of people who were expendable, without rights....people to be used and then thrown out when they were no longer useful. But even before displaying faith in Jesus' ability to heal, this centurion was already a man who, as I see it, feared God. He is said to be on the side of the Jewish nation and even built a synagogue for them. His 'faith' was undergirded by his own character.

And more than compassion, the centurion demonstrated humility. Again, a person of his standing, one who gives orders to his soldiers, was able to recognize in Jesus someone of greater authority. In fact, he felt unworthy to have Jesus pay a visit.

Jesus expresses amazement at the centurion's faith. This 'faith' is not something abstract that can be 'worked up'. It was the faith of a man of character: one who fears God, one with great compassion and humility. I do believe that if our own faith is real, we will be people of much compassion and humility.