The Beautiful Conversion of Gaius in "The Chosen"

How to Organically Share the Heart of Jesus

When we divest ourselves of empire mentality, when we stop worrying about numbers and following a corporate model, we can then focus on the way Jesus shared the gospel. As I have mentioned previously, I am a big fan of “The Chosen”. I watched the very moving process which brought Gaius the centurion to faith in season 4.

Gaius never received an invitation to a gathering, he never went through a Bible study series, and he was never asked to follow Jesus, yet his conversion is one of the most powerful examples of disciples letting their light shine and reaching someone’s heart.

Gaius was not the ideal candidate to follow Jesus. He was a Roman leader, in a position of power over the Jews. He had a checkered past (according to The Chosen — of course, we do not know), and he worshipped idols. At the beginning of the series, he was arrogant and authoritarian.

His interactions with Matthew and Peter, both imperfect men and witnesses to the transforming power of Jesus, changed his heart. It was gradual but inevitable. Matthew’s hesitations, his fumbling efforts at following Jesus, and his confusion at times, made him so relatable. I must say he is my favorite character in the series. What transpires about Matthew is his sincerity.

Peter had a huge impact on Gaius. His relationship with the centurion was fraught yet real. They disagreed, fought even, yet they became close as Peter asked Gaius for marriage advice. In turn, Gaius shared his heart with Peter. Over time, their sincere bond developed into a strong friendship. They stopped “othering” each other.

What is there to learn? Sustainable and real conversions are a process. They take time. The seeds of faith need to be planted and allowed to grow at their own pace. What is crucial is for someone to witness a genuine display of faith, care, and humility. There is no place for “othering”. Matthew and Peter treated Gaius as an equal, a friend even.

This approach can melt the hardest of hearts. I speak from experience. I had no intention of ever being a Christian, but I saw genuine faith over the years. There was very little unhealthy pressure. Of course, there were some challenging questions, just as Peter and Matthew challenged Gaius, but it all felt very “organic”. I was free to move forward at my own pace and come to my own conclusions.

Matthew and Peter’s humanity, their sincere faith, their vulnerability, their gentleness and genuine care for Gaius and his family, the lack of judgment and self-righteousness, all led to a powerful heart transformation. I must also say that the acting in the series is pretty remarkable.

Do I have faith that if I let my light shine, if I do the right thing because it is the right thing without any agenda or ulterior motives, if I reflect the qualities of Jesus in my life, that will be enough to share the good news of Christ? Do I have faith that a few well-thought-out and provoking questions at the right time will be more effective than a study series and forceful invitations to church meetings? I remember in my own case, that after witnessing the lives of Christians (not just ICOC), I decided to become a Christian myself. No forcing, no persuasion. I was the one pushing actually.

If we shared our faith the Matthew and Peter way, and let the Holy Spirit work through the testimony of followers of Christ who shine their light, I believe we would build churches that would last. Those churches would serve their communities with no agenda, in a frugal and grassroots way, building relationships with everyone, including the least likely candidates for conversion. People will see through the hypocrisy and the fakeness. They will also respond to genuine love and care.