What do you love to find? Editors search for typos. Friends hunt for antiques. My uncle is hooked by an estate sale. And people still mine for gold in streams!

I love treasures in Scripture. Here’s my recent find. In the entire Bible, there are only two times where Jesus is recorded as being “amazed.”

In Luke 7, we hear the story of a Centurion (Roman soldier) sending highly respected Jews to Jesus. Their mission was to persuade Jesus to come to the Centurion’s home to heal his servant.

Jesus agreed and was on His way when He received another message. The Centurion had a change of heart! Grasping the scope of inviting the Messiah into his home, here is part of the message the Centurion sent with friends: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Luke 7:6b-7).

“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, ‘I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel’” (Luke 7:9; italics added).

This is incredible and sad at the same time. The faith of a humble Gentile amazed Jesus.

The other recorded instance of Jesus being “amazed” is more somber. Jesus was in His hometown, Nazareth. The residents were impressed with Jesus’ teaching yet perplexed that one of their own, a commoner, could be different from them. Jesus’ reaction? “And he was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mark 6:6; italics added).

Both times Jesus was “amazed,” it was by a person’s faith. A generous portrayal of faith and a painful lack thereof.

May our lives demonstrate amazing faith!