126 HUMBLE AND BELIEVING.

was honored by the people, for some of their elders came
to Jesus and asked him to do what the soldier wanted:
for they said, He is worthy;" and that meant, he is so
kind and good he deserves to have what he asks for.
 What did he want from Jesus? Something that
showed what a warm, kind heart was beating under his
coat of brass, and what gentle hands sometimes hold the
sword. He had a servant that was dear to him: only a
servant, perhaps a slave; but he loved him very much,
and that servant was sick of the palsy and lay suffering
and trembling on a bed in the soldier's house, so sick he
seemed ready to die.
 The Centurion went to Jesus and told him all his
sorrow. When Jesus heard the story, before he asked
him to cure the servant, as soon as he was told that he
was sick, Jesus said at once, I will go and heal him."
 The soldier knew that Jesus was greater and more
to be honored than the generals or the emperor whom he
served; he showed that he thought He had the power of
God, for he called Him Lord. As Jesus was going
towards his house the Centurion sent some of his friends
to him with this message: Lord, trouble not thyself;
for I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my
roof; neither thought I myself worthy to come to thee."
See how humble the great soldier was; and yet he
wanted his servant healed, and to show how sure he was
that Jesus could cure, he said, "When I tell a servant to