This global warming is just a killin me! Don’t worry, I am not going to launch into a debate over climate change here… though I could!
For us here in beautiful southern Ohio, the big chill has begun as 2025 greets us with a wintry blast. Praise the Lord and pass the hand warmers!

For what it’s worth, I have a new appreciation for many things and among them are those brave souls who have worked overtime recently clearing the way for us to travel safely to and fro, namely, those wonderful folks who clean, clear and treat the roads we are able to drive on for the first time in a day or two. They may be nameless to me personally, but boy, do I ever appreciate them.

What I want us to look at is not so much the global climate conditions, but the spiritual climate, our spiritual climate.

Nameless in Luke’s gospel we know him only as a certain centurion.

Here’s his story… “And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.”

Someone has said that each person has three spectators of their life: how others see us, how we see ourselves, and how God sees us. Let’s take a few lines and explore this nameless centurion and who was observing his life and maybe take some time to look at our own lives.

First, we notice how the people saw him. They had quite a high opinion of him. They told Jesus that this man was worthy of his help and that they felt he loved their nation. You know, the society and culture may not like our convictions or our faith as Christ followers, but they should never doubt our lives. Secondly notice what he thought of himself. Did you hear him say that he wasn’t worthy for Jesus even to come to his house or to even approach him for that matter? Others had high opinions of him, but he had humble opinions of himself.

Lastly, let’s notice what Jesus thought of him. The scriptures go so far as to say that Jesus marveled at this man. Only two times does the bible tell us that Jesus marveled once at the unbelief of the Jews and here in this case involving this man. He saw that the centurion recognized that the one he was addressing was no ordinary person, and that he was acknowledging what he believed Jesus could do. Even before healing this man’s servant Jesus would say that he had not seen this kind of faith in all of Israel. What others thought of him was important, what he thought of himself was inspiring, but what Jesus thought of him was thought provoking to be sure.

I think of the reign of Oliver Cromwell, when the British government began to run low on silver coins. Thus, Cromwell sent his men on an investigation of the local cathedral to see if they could find any precious metals there. After investigating, they reported that the only silver they found was in the statues of the saints. To their finding, Cromwell the soldier and statesman of England said, “Good! Then we’ll melt down the saints and put them into circulation!” Perhaps, we need to be put back into circulation so that we can make a lasting impact on the spiritual climate in our nation and our world.

The centurion leaves us a memorable example of what it is to possess genuine faith in Jesus.

People may never know us, but they will know who we serve. Each of our lives makes a lasting impression, a good one or a bad one.

Our spiritual climate just might have a lasting impact on those around us.

I want to have an influence like our friend the nameless Centurion had. May God use each of us, in a lasting way for His glory!

Tim Throckmorton is the president of Lifepointe Ministries.