When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him pleading with Him, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony! Matthew 8:5-6 HCSB
I grew up in the 60’s and remember the tension between white and black people. Black people were not allowed to ride in the front of the bus, there were separate water drinking fountains for blacks, and some were refused service at restaurants. The attitude of white people toward black people was wrong. The black people were often treated as outcast and were not welcome in many locations and businesses.
The Jewish people would have had nothing but disdain for the Roman centurion. First, he was a gentile or non-jew. Second, he was a part of the Roman military. The presence of the Roman soldiers were a constant reminder that the Jewish people were not free and under the authority of the Roman government. The centurion would have been a commander of a unit of approximately 100 solders. The Jewish people would have treated all Roman soldiers as outcast. They would have avoided having any contact with them. This Roman centurion comes to Jesus with respect and honor, even addressing Him as Lord.
Challenge: Who do you treat as an outcast? God has created all people and we are called to love everyone just as Jesus loved everyone. Ask God to help you overcome your prejudice attitudes and see all people as equal.