visible faith

I wonder what faith looks like. I think I might know what faith acts like, or sounds like. But evidently there’s something that another person can see in a faithful person.

At least Paul could see it. In Acts 14 there’s a story of him healing a lame man, which I had read before. But this morning, I noticed an extra detail. The story is in verses 8-10 “In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, ‘Stand up on your feet!’ At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”

I’m sure you caught it, that Paul saw that this man had faith to be healed. But the man was just listening to Paul preach; he wasn’t doing anything. What did his faith look like? Whatever it was, it was enough that Paul just said the word, and the man walked.

I think I might have enough faith to be healed, but do I have enough faith to be seen? I’m not sure. I’d like to think so, I’d like to think that when people look at me they see my faith, like a glowing aura around me. I’d like that, but I don’t think that’s how it is.

I’d also like to be able to see other people’s faith. I’d love to be able to find our people in a crowd, in a strange city. I’d like that constant connection. But I can’t even see anything different about people that I know to be devout, committed Christ followers. 

Maybe it takes a person who is especially sensitive to spiritual matters to see faith. Or maybe God gifted Paul especially for that moment. Whatever the case, evidently this gift I’d like isn’t one I need. If I needed it, God would have given it to me. 

So I have to take people’s faith on, well, faith. Just like they have to take mine. There’s something good about that – imagine if we all were equipped to compare each other’s faith. “Wow, look how bright he glows! She looks pretty dingy in comparison.” I don’t think I’m adult enough to handle such a gift. 

Still, this morning I’m thinking about this new, anonymous faith hero I learned of today. I’m admiring a lame man who heard God’s word and believed it so strongly that it could be seen by Paul. This special gift, whether of a moment or a lifetime, fills me with hope. It shows me the power of faith, but it also reminds me that where God calls, he also gifts. He gifted this man with faith, he gifted Paul to see it, and he gifts me whenever he has a job for me to do.

That’s comforting. It’s enough to keep me pecking away at this keyboard, and praying about things and people I can’t see, and helping in those small ways that I can. When God shows me something I can do, I believe I must be able to do it. I have enough faith for that.