Throughout his life, Jesus affected people on many different levels. Some responded to the miracles he performed. Some followed Jesus after he healed them. Others were drawn in by his radical teachings.

A Roman centurion, who had a brief encounter with Jesus at the cross, may have gone to work that day expecting no more than to oversee yet another crucifixion. Or maybe he knew about the uproar over Jesus and expected a hectic day of keeping order among rising tensions in Jerusalem. Regardless, this centurion, who had probably seen many people die at the hands of the Roman Empire, saw something different in Jesus’ death.

This story always makes me pause. In the middle of chaos, when others were in despair over the tragic turn of events, this Roman, a professional killer, had a moment of clarity and saw Jesus for who he really was.

We never know how a person will come to faith in Christ. Maybe it’s a kind gesture from a neighbor. Maybe an invitation to a Bible study, where questions are asked and debated, will lead them to believe. It might take a hundred different encounters to draw someone to Jesus.

We never know how our actions and words will affect someone, or how our prayers may turn someone’s heart to seek a deeper relationship with Christ.

Perhaps some people need to hear your story of faith. Pray for the people around you. Show kindness when possible. Point others to Jesus.

Lord, show me who needs to see you today. How can I reflect your love to those around me? Lead me by your Spirit to those who need you. Amen.

Go Deeper — Be strategic about being Jesus to those around you. Make a list of people to whom you can show kindness. It might be a phone call, a visit, or an invitation to church. Don’t make it a one-time event. Keep their names handy and ask God to show you how to continually show them his love.

Read Further — If the idea of witnessing activates the butterflies in your gut, read Mike’s story, I Used to Hate Witnessing.



Tags: The Gospel of Mark Mark 15
Photo Credit: Peter H