Here Jesus is met by a royal official whose son is dying. His riches and status cannot protect him and his family from hardship and death. His faith may have only been enough for him to seek Jesus in a time of need but Jesus’ response shows that his power has no bounds – not even distance. The official’s faith grows and he trusts Jesus at his word, leaving to go home and find his son healed. John writes so that we can be encouraged to have faith even without sight just like the official and all generations since.