What does faith look like? This would be a thing to know. We could scan images of people at the altar and then target the two resulting groups of people with different programs: one program for those who had faith, and another for those who didn’t. That way we could maximize our efforts on both groups. We could tweak the face recognition software that Facebook is now using on billions of images for the task. What a breakthrough for spreading the Gospel.
I am joking, of course, but driving toward a point. Faith does look like something. Faith should brighten the eyes, since there is hope, both for this world and the next. Faith should lift the chin, since there is no reason for shame, Jesus having removed our shame. Faith should increase our smile capacity, since joy has a way of leaking out.
But more than that, faith should increase our ability to hear from another’s perspective, increasing our capacity for compassion. Faith should change the direction of our feet, giving us a new path in life, away from old activities and toward activities that honor the Lord.
Jesus is walking in a crowd and a blind man shouts for Him. He responds and calls the man to Himself and then asks what he wants. The man responds that he wants to see, probably a top priority for a blind man! If he received his sight, so many other things would follow.
This man showed great respect to Jesus. He knew who He was, the One who would sit on David’s throne. He addressed Him with respect, Rabbi (religious teacher). And yet there was something more, something seen by Jesus, that signaled he had faith. What was it?
We don’t know what Jesus saw that signaled faith. Faith is primarily seen in our actions, not in our facial features. Faith changes the way we live and interact with each other. Faith changes our priorities. Faith changes the direction of our life.
Jesus could see this man’s faith in his actions. He wouldn’t yield to the pressure to keep silent, despite some in the crowd telling him to be quiet. When given the chance he ran to Jesus. He boldly asked for what he wanted, knowing that Jesus could do it. This man’s faith could be seen.
And this man got what he wanted. His sight was restored. Then he followed Jesus. The result of God’s intervention in our life should be a life of following. Do you really follow, or just expect Jesus to show up where you end up?
The Arnold Journey 