In the Mind of a Fish

Whenever we talk about faith, it is a sure thing that the Bible will be referred to and this isn't any different.

There are different examples of faith exhibited in the Bible.

There was a man who had leprosy. This man was not a believer in God. Rather, he was a believer in many gods. One day, someone whom he had captured in a war with Israel told him about a man in Israel who knew the God who is all powerful and could heal him of his disease. The man's faith in this God was not based on a promise from some authority whether written or learned. It was based on his knowledge that this God was the one who created all. The one who created all would be able to heal one of those He created.

The man who needed healing did not believe in or trust this God. He thought his gods were superior to this one because the people who trusted this God were conquered by him and his gods. The only thing that he had going for him was that he knew his disease was incurable and that he would die with it and that this one person claimed that this God could heal him. So he went.

One day, while Jesus was walking with a crowd, a woman who had an issue of blood for several years argued with herself that if she could but touch the hem of his coat, she would be healed. This belief didn't come from anyone in authority who told her this. Nor did it come from something she had read about Jesus. It appears that she just believed it. Jesus told her that her faith had made her whole. There was apparently some understanding of Jesus that made this woman have faith in his ability to take care of this situation. And - she had no other hope available to her.

Another time a Centurion came to Jesus to tell him that his servant was paralyzed and suffering. After Jesus offered to heal the servant, the Centurion told Jesus to just say the word and it will be done. There is no indication that the Centurion was anything other than a Roman officer who worshiped and served many Gods, one of whom was Caesar. So, now that this man has heard of a healer close by, he came to him. The man believes in Jesus' authority, but not necessarily that Jesus is his savior.  There was no solution to the suffering of his servant unless this man could heal him. So, he went to Jesus and Jesus proclaimed this man as having more faith than all in Israel.