Faithful Few

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. [Hebrews 11.7]

It is becoming commonplace that I am having thoughts about certain Biblical events or scriptures before I read the Word each day, only to find some reference to that event or scripture in that daily OYCB reading! Why? I don't know, but it sure gives me a sense of connection when it happens!

Today, I thought about Noah and the Ark. I was having no conscious thoughts about where I was in the OYCB readings for this day before I began to read, but then there it was in Hebrews 11 and Noah is mentioned.

The thing that stands out regarding Noah is the fact that he and his family were "few" compared to the human population on earth at that time in history. Mind you, Noah is mentioned today in the "faith chapter" of the Bible, Hebrews 11. Rocket science is not required to deduce then that the "faithful" will be "few" in comparison to the world population. This cannot be disassociated from something Jesus said:

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

And, Jesus made mention of "few" in another discussion:

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” [Matthew 9.35-38]

Noah and his family were few. Few will find the Way to life. The workers announcing the Good News are few. The point is, it should be understood that the Bible is clear that the obedience of faith (doing God's will) puts one in the category of the few.

As much as we can wish for popularity as we serve God, we can also find in the Bible that doing so will never yield such a status - at least not long-term. It is always just a matter of time that the world tires of the truth and begins to ostracize those who hold to it. "Everyone's doing it..." seems to mean more to people than "God said..."

It should be worth considering that, when we blend in with the crowd, we very well could be in bad company. But isn't that what Hebrews 11 is all about? All the faithful ones mentioned in that famous chapter stood out from the general population and, many of them even died in their faith for it. Real faith, even though it may heal the sick, raise the dead, and walk on water, will eventually draw the ire of the unbelieving. Faith always eventually flushes out the tag-a-long crowd who cannot or will not keep up.

For this reason, the Church today should remain on high alert for the mindset of faithless, crowd-pleasing, religiosity. This mindset usually self-identifies when it calls for moderation of faith. This mindset does not mind at all for "faith" to be taught in abstract brush strokes, but as soon as certain things Jesus (in particular) said are taken as literal, the moderation mode kicks in: "Well now, yes, Jesus said all things are possible to the believing person who prays, BUT wisdom still must be followed..."

In time, this religious mindset renders the Church powerless and nothing like the faithful ones mentioned in Hebrews 11 (whether their faith was to live or to die!).

Noah chose to obey God (by faith) and it made him a minority of minorities! If we think our walk of genuine faith will make us popular, the Bible is not our book. Faith is a mountain that will never be summited with human effort, logic, reasoning, or wisdom and, therefore, will be maddening to those who think it is. Oh yes, it was the most religious folks of Jesus' day who quite literally hated Him to the point of initiating His death. Jesus' insistence on miraculous faith and not the law infuriated them.

The "faithful few" is a reality. It is a conscious choice.

Father, may we never read Hebrews 11 with an abstract religious mindset! Instead, find us hanging on every example to guide us in our own walk of genuine faith!