Today I read Luke 7 which contains the stories of Jesus healing the centurions servant, the raising of the widow's son who had died, Jesus proclaiming that no prophet was greater than John the Baptist, and the story of the woman who anoints Christ's feet in the Pharisee's home. I sometimes wonder as I read the scriptures if I am too harsh in my judgments and thoughts that I have when I read them. I say this because I read the story of the healing of the centurion's servant and he tells Jesus that he does not need Him to come in person, merely say the word and the centurion knows his servant will be healed. Jesus tells His disciples who are with Him that He has never encountered such faith in all of Israel.
Typically when I read such statements, I mentally shake my head that the Jews did not have more faith. But today as I read it, I wondered if such sentiments on my part are fair. Faith is such a personal matter for all of us and how faith is built is generally the same, but can be done in so many ways that I wonder if it is fair of me to judge all the Jews for not having more faith than they did and for rejecting the Savior like that. Faith, as we know from Alma's great sermon to the Zoramites, actually starts out as hope, and as we put into practice the things we are taught or hear, hope blossoms into faith by degrees. We are not given full knowledge all at once, but rather are taught line upon line, precept upon precept, just like a child. As I watch my daughter progress and grow it is a marvel to me and I love to watch her explore her world and learn new things and it always warms my heart to see her remember things she has learned a few days or weeks ago. Her mother and I teach her things as well but we know that she will not understand it all even if we were willing to just teach her everything she would need to know in life right now. We teach her what she can understand and as she proves she has learned it, then we teach her new things. That is how faith works too.
Very, very few people are just born with great faith, it has to be cultivated, nurtured and built up. The common man during the time of Christ, was probably much like he/she is today. They are concerned with caring for their families, and trying to make it through life. A few are more religious than most, but that understanding of their religion comes largely from their leaders. So again, I'm not sure it is proper to blame them for not having more faith than they had. I mean even the Apostles doubted the Savior multiple times during His earthly ministry. So, it was just a thought I had today while reading.
The other thing that stood out to me today as I read was the story of the Pharisee whose home Jesus visited for dinner and the woman who anoints Jesus' feet. The story states that while Jesus ate, a woman comes in who cries on Jesus' feet and wipes them clean with her hair and finally rubs oil on them. The Pharisee watches all this in silence but thinks to himself that Jesus should know that the woman is a sinner if He were really a prophet. As I read this story my mind went back to my mission. I remember I was teaching the 4th discussion, which for those of you who are not familiar with the old discussion format, that was the discussion where we discuss the plan of salvation in detail, including the 3 Kingdoms of Glory.
As we were teaching this lesson, the person I was teaching had a real problem with it. She said that it was unfair to put the bad people in one place and all the good people in another one. Now, I had heard this many times before from people and had worked out my answer and I gave it to her. I responded with, would you feel comfortable if a person who was a murderer moved in next door? Would you feel safe and as carefree as you do now? Up until this point such a response would always give the person pause and they would think and then answer no they would not and my point would be made.
But this woman, she stated emphatically that she would fine with it and was still stating that God was cruel for doing this to those who chose a life of sin. So I tried to push forward and stated that I would feel uncomfortable if a known murderer moved in next door to me. But then she said something I had never thought of before. She said that if we don't welcome such people and befriend them, how can they get better and improve? How can they be expected to change? It stunned me into silence for a few moments before replying that she was correct, however at the point we were talking about it was too late to change. But her point got me thinking in a way I had not before. And as I was reading this account this morning, it came back to my memory because this Pharisee wanted nothing to do with this woman who was a sinner. And how many people avoid or withhold their friendship from sinners because they are sinners?
Now, I do not find it comfortable to be around drug addicts, or murderers or people like that, but I have several friends who smoke and almost all my non-member associates and friends drink alcohol, I just choose not to be around them when they indulge in such behaviors. But I am still their friend and still hope to influence them for good. And I think that is what God would have us do in such situations. Hopefully I have given you food for thought as that woman did for me so long ago. Until tomorrow.
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