Finding Faith in Unusual Places

“In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” –James 2:25-26

During my first ministry in college, I had the opportunity to preach each week to a very patient and gracious church. So, when Mother’s Day came around, I did not think that maybe I should do something special. I just preached the text that I was going to preach, which happened to be about Rahab, a prostitute turned servant of God in the book of Joshua. About halfway through the sermon, I realized that maybe it was not the best idea to preach about the faith of a prostitute on Mother’s Day. I paused in the middle of the sermon, and let’s just say we all had a good laugh about it.

So when I read this passage in James, I feel a little better. But I don’t think this is any accident. Here is James, writing to Jews, and he has just used father Abraham as a prime example. All of them would have identified with and completely revered Abraham. He’s got them hooked. So what does he do next? He brings up the example of a Gentile—and not just any Gentile, but one who is a former prostitute, and uses her as a great example of faith.

I wonder if we fail to look outside of our comfort zone to find true faith. We probably like the examples of people who look a lot like us, who are similar in social status and skin color. But what if we chose to look in other places to find true examples of faith? Now I am not suggesting that we look outside the bounds of Christianity to other religions, but what if we learned to look to the single mom, the grandpa in the nursing home, the father standing in the unemployment line, or even the migrant worker? What can we learn when we take a look at their struggles, and how they respond with faith in Christ?

Where can you look this week to find an example of faith that may stretch you? Maybe there are newer Christians, who have a seemingly unquenchable zeal. Perhaps it is someone who comes from a different denominational background and whose slightly different take on the Christian faith stretches and encourages you to reexamine your life. Whoever it is and wherever you find them, may you see Christ in them and be encouraged to live out your faith all the more.