Luke 18 :: Everyone Has a Faith Story

Luke 18

In today's chapter, we read about faith - the kind of faith that caused Jesus to stop and take note.  First, the story of the persistent widow reveals a consistent, never-say-quit sort of faith that continues to trust even when things are not going our way.  The disciples understood this imagery well because it had been thousands of years since God had promised his people a Messiah.  The 400 year window of silence from God had just ended with the coming of Jesus, so generations had come and gone with no word from God at all.

The second story is about two men who prayed, one morally proud of himself and the other a humble tax collector.  The pride of the Pharisee can be a barrier for Christ to do his work in us.  When we think that we have it all together, we often don't need God.  The tax man understood who he was in light of who God is, and this pushed him to humility.

Luke then includes an incident that Jesus had with his disciples.  As people were bringing babies to Jesus and other children running up to him, the disciples tried to push them away.  I can imagine what was going through their minds, "We just need some adult time with Jesus..."  Jesus makes it clear that the children are very important in his kingdom, and unless we come to him in simple faith and trust like a child, we won't get it.

Most translate the question of the official as "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"  There was clearly an understanding of entitlement inferred in the question by the official.  Jesus asks him a question, which the man doesn't answer (clearly he doesn't understand who Jesus is).  Jesus turns to the man's understanding, which is all about rule-following and self-sufficiency.  The man was looking for the one thing he could do to ensure that he gets some of this eternal life Jesus is talking of, but he is not willing to do anything.  His want has a price that he is not willing to pay.  He isn't willing to give up his stuff.

Finally, Luke shares a story of Jesus' encounter with a blind man.  The blind man could hear Jesus coming and began to shout out to him - louder than anyone else.  His desperate passion gets the attention of Jesus and when asked what he wants, he simply says "Master, I want to see again."  At that, Jesus heals him and says that his faith has saved and healed him.  No prayer, no walk down an isle, no commitment to a church, no baptism, no confession, no "right understanding" of justification by faith alone, no nothing but a simple "Master, I want to see again."  There was nothing and no one else for this man, but Jesus.

What is your faith story?  How did you get to where you are with God today - good or bad?  These five people in this chapter wrestled with their decision.  Have you wrestled with yours?  How simple was your path to Jesus?  What obstacles did you have to overcome to be able to trust Jesus with your life?

Happy Hump-Day Everyone!