When I was a kid, my mother often asked, “Jimmy, do you know what happens to those poor at paying attention?”
“What, Mama?” I’d reply, though I could recite the answer from memory.
“They become poor in life,” she’d say.
As annoying as it was, the phrase carried great truth. Several times over the decades that followed, I’d find myself not where I’d hoped to be. In those moments, I’d consider my options: did I need to work harder? Do more? But then, I’d inevitably hear Mama in the back of my mind, reminding me of my answer.
It was this: I needed to pay attention to what really mattered—to become more aware of my humanity and more reliant upon God’s ability. I needed genuine faith.
We see a perfect picture of this in John 4:46-54. Here, we read that a government official traveled twenty miles outside of his city to find Jesus. When he found Him, he asked Jesus to heal his son, who was deathly ill.
The story shows us how an awareness of our need for Christ introduces us to a genuine faith, and that genuine faith moves God to act on our behalf.
Verses 47-48 (NLT) tell us the official begged Jesus to travel to his town to heal his son. Jesus responded: “Will you never believe me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”
Jesus’ statement proves that genuine faith requires assurance. It requires believing before we see.
In his book, John used the word believe over 100 times in only 21 chapters; however, the word he used means much more than what we often understand it to mean. In our secular culture, we often think believing is simply staying positive, living determined, and working harder until the dreams in our hearts come to pass. But the word John used is pisteuo, which means to put trust in.
Jesus was not asking the man to try harder; He was asking Him to trust more. Hebrews 11:1 tells us this is a faith that moves God to act: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Genuine faith also requires pleasing God. Our story continues in verses 49-50, when Jesus responded to the official’s plea. He said, “Go back home. Your son will live!” Scripture tells us the man believed what Jesus said. He trusted before He saw.
The last part of our story proves that genuine faith requires diligent obedience. Verses 51-54 tell us the man returned home to find his son well, and his entire household believed in Jesus. What a miracle!
Friends, God has an incredible plan for your life—one you could never make happen on your own. Will you pay attention, living aware of your need for Him? Then, will you choose to believe, trusting Him before you see what you’re hoping for? If you do, then, like the official, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a miracle!
