The Centurion's Humility

I was puttering around in the Gospel of Luke today and found this wonderful story in Chapter 7:

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 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. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 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. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 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.”

9 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.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

This story is wonderful because of all the assumptions people have about who belongs with God and who doesn't.

The Roman Centurion certainly does not belong with God by most standards.  He's a foreigner.  He's a pagan.  He's seen by most of the locals as an oppressor, if not directly at least an agent of the government that has occupied their country and oppressed their people.  Though he's important in his own sphere with power over the lives of the people around him, he has no standing before Jesus.  He doesn't even have an avenue of approach.  How would Jesus know him?  Why would a wandering Jew accept him or even agree to see him?  The Centurion is used to people having to curry his favor.  Now he's in the awkward position of having to beg for someone else's.

So the Centurion sends some respected Jewish elders.  They don't feel they can just make the introduction, they have to plead for the Roman and share all the reasons Jesus should come and see him.  "He's a wonderful guy!  He's not like the other Romans!  He's taken care of us and helped us build our synagogue!  You're a religious guy, right Jesus?"  They're trying to make the Centurion acceptable in Jesus' sight by extolling the Centurion's virtues and showing how his interests and Jesus' align.

Following this pattern, here's what should have happened.  When Jesus went to the Centurion's house the Centurion should have done everything he could to impress him.  The Centurion should have shown off his fancy place, demonstrated his wealth and power, talked to Jesus about how many good things he (the Centurion) had done, and hinted to Jesus that if Jesus fulfilled his wishes, he'd do even more good for Jesus' people.  It'd be like a politician or community advocate meeting with a wealthy benefactor nowadays.  The key point of the meeting from the Centurion's view would be communicating his own goodness and power, the better to convince Jesus that he was worthy of attention and that this was a relationship to be cultivated.

Instead, though, the Centurion sent another message.  "I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof.  But say the word and my servant will be healed."  It wasn't about how great the Centurion was, but about how great Jesus was...not about his own power but about God's power.  This message wasn't about demands or bribes or people scratching each other's backs.  It was humble, honest.  "Lord, you have the power.  I can't make you use it.  But I know if you just say the word, this good thing will happen even though I can't achieve it myself."

What an amazing statement of faith.  In just a few words the Centurion turned the whole scenario upside down.  In doing so, he discovered a true relationship with God.  Life wasn't about him and his ability, it was about God and God's mercy.  Goodness didn't come from power or from an economic exchange, goodness was a gift.  The Centurion knew that he only way to receive God was on his knees in thankfulness.  He set aside pride, power, and position to assume that attitude.  In doing so he amazed Jesus with his faithfulness and showed that he belonged with God more than even the most learned and prominent Jewish leaders.

In that moment when we get beyond ourselves and say, "Everything for you, Lord," we discover the essence of our relationship with God, the purpose of our lives, and more goodness than we could ever imagine.

--Pastor Dave (pastordave@geneseelutheranparish.org)