Faith in Ignorance
/“The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.”
— John 5:15
If you have not read “The Danger of Invisibility” as a precursor to the next 5 devotions, you can read it here. Or the first of the five here: 1) Faith in Obedience, 2) Faith in Need, 3) Faith in Desperation, 4) Faith in Humility
I don’t know why, but many people get really upset when you tell them they are ignorant. I really don’t understand it (I do, but I don’t). I have discovered the more I know, the more I realize I am truly ignorant. Ignorance by definition is simply “the lack of knowledge, education, understanding, or awareness about a particular subject or in general.” Who can honestly claim not to be ignorant? We all are limited in our knowledge.
It brings us to John chapter 5 where we find a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. Everyday he was positioned by the Pool of Bethesda and awaited an angel to come down and stir the waters so he could enter them and be healed. But due to his infirmity, he could not enter them fast enough and the blessing went to someone else.
Jesus saw him. He asked a simple question, “Do you want to be made well?” (V.6)
Ironically, the man doesn’t answer the question. Rather, he provides an excuse for why he hasn’t been healed; “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (V.7)
Isn’t that just like us ignorant beings? Justification. Rationalization. Increased Bias. Lay the blame at another’s feet. It’s not my fault! I’m doing the best I can. But that wasn’t the question. The question was, do you want to be healed?!?!?
Jesus simply said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” (V.8)
Here is the crux of the issue, do you have faith? Faith is not believing. It is more. It is not trusting. It is more. It is action. It is acting on the word of God. Believing, trusting and acting all together makes faith. It was the response of the man who “took up his bed, and walked.” (V.9)
What is amazing about this account is that it was NOT precipitated by a strong show of faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, the guy didn’t even know who Jesus was. He simply had faith in God he could be healed. That is why he laid at the edge of the Pool of Bethesda.
Verse 13 says, “But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.” The reality is we don’t have to know everything God has planned. We don’t have to understand everything He is doing. We don’t have to see every action He takes. We just have to answer the question, “Do you want to be healed?” And act in faith that we will be.
Jesus not only saw this man. He healed him in ignorance. Then, Jesus found him a second time in the temple and introduced Himself. The Lord can and will act in your life even if you are ignorant. Walk in faith trusting He is acting in your best interest. Then, you can be like the man in our story who, “departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.”
I could learn much from this man who was so desperate to be healed he acted in faith even while ignorant of the presence of the Lord. Yet, once the healing took place, he departed and shouted to the world that he was healed by Jesus!
I will never know every area of my life where the Lord desires to work. I’m very much ignorant in that regard. I don't have to know everything He desires to do. But I pray I can follow the example of the man in John 5 and simply respond when my Lord says, “Take up your mat and walk! We will talk down the road.”
Know you are seen. Know you are loved. Know God works even when we don’t understand it. Know it will be done.
© 2026 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.
