John 4:48 “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

Jesus may have been a bit exasperated when He said this, but He healed the man’s son anyway, and as verse 53 tells us, the result was that the man and his whole household indeed believed that Jesus was the Messiah. The thing is, God indeed does things in our lives to trigger us to believe. Sometimes we accept those things with joy and do grow in faith, but sometimes we make humanistic excuses and go on as if nothing had happened. That’s tragic! As John famously proclaimed in his first letter, it is faith that gives us victory over the world. (1 John 5:4) That faith is a gift from God, but we have to accept it and apply it for it to be operative. (Ephesians 2:8-9) The man in this story took Jesus at His word that his son would live and headed home immediately, exercising what faith he had. It wasn’t until after he had done that, that the timing of everything was confirmed and his whole household believed. The faith of any individual can have a remarkable effect on those around them. When we experience victory because of our faith, others look at us and can decide that what we have is the real thing, and choose to believe as well. It can be quite a cascade! However, it won’t happen unless we exercise the faith we have already been given, however small that might be. Jesus repeatedly used the figure of a mustard seed in talking about faith. A seed might be tiny, but it has life in it and so will grow, given the opportunity. Our faith can trigger the signs and wonders that will cause others to believe!

However it happens, I want more people around me to believe! By God’s very interesting plan, my wife’s Care Manager for her disabilities is the son of a Buddhist priest. As we have gotten to know each other we find we like each other a lot. A couple of days ago he ordered a sling for Cathy’s broken elbow from his phone, and it was to arrive “on Saturday,” so he said he would bring it by. It wasn’t delivered until around 8 pm, but after calling, he brought it anyway. I really think God has connected him to us so that he may be brought into God’s family. Our faith is on display to all the people around us, and I believe God is using the “signs and wonders” that happen in our lives to impart faith to others. I certainly pray so! I don’t need signs and wonders to make me believe more, but I welcome them if they might draw others to believe.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the relationship You are building between us and the Care Manager. Thank You for the photo and craft show we’ll be setting up tomorrow, and for all the people we will see because of that. I pray that our every interaction may draw people to desire and receive the relationship with You that they see we have, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!