Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:50
Why did Jesus say this? Why didn’t He say, “My love has saved you,” or “My grace has saved you,” or “My atoning sacrificial death on the cross will save you”?
Clearly, without these things, she wouldn’t be saved. But Jesus calls attention not to these things, but rather to her faith.
See short video here, and/or consider these thoughts:
This may have been the first sincere compliment she had ever received. In the place of flattery that just wanted something out of her, here was Someone who found something good.
Or perhaps Jesus was calling attention to her reckless abandon that pursued God at the risk of rejection and embarrassment. She forgot herself and stopped caring if she looked like a fool in front of everyone else. What a refreshing contrast to the religionists who lived in the comfort of their own cliquish snobbery!
Or maybe Jesus wanted to once again let the human race know how much God values this delicate thing we call faith. I don’t know about you, but someday I will be happy to stand in line and honor those who held on to their faith even when the enemy did everything in his power to rip it from their very being. It will be my great privilege to honor them.
I’m not sure if I’ve found the reason or not. But I do know this. God sees your faith; it is not forgotten—it mixes with God’s love and becomes life changing.
Dwight
PS. How do we break free of the “try harder” treadmill into the freedom that Jesus promised when He said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free?” What does that look like in the real world, and how do we get it? That’s our topic this week in Inner Wealth.
