By Faith - Rahab
In some of the passages of Hebrews 11 there is but one incident that is recorded as the act of "faith" that gives the person the status of being a person of faith and righteous. That is the case of Rahab.
It is quite possible that for many, perhaps even most of us, the significance of one act of faith is the change it brings to our path through life. I don't know what motivated Rahab to shelter these men. What was she experiencing or thinking? Perhaps it was a sense that it was just the right thing to do. Perhaps it was a sense of adventure. Perhaps she just felt kindly on that day toward the strangers.
The actual motivation was undoubtedly the prompting of God. We might miss God's prompting in our daily activity if we spend too much time trying to analyze those gut level feelings. If our heart's intent is to please God, and our "mind is set" on Him, we can anticipate the movement of God in our daily lives and affairs. This may well be through a prompting more often experienced as a "gut level feeling" than an actual voice from Heaven.
We may miss the great thing in which God would have us to be an instrument if we ignore His prompting just one time, one day. How many folks have always wanted to do something for God but was looking for a spectacular, or at least above average, opportunity and failed to do the truly great thing by ignoring a small prompting?
Walking by faith is all about sensitivity to the prompting of God in our spirit. If we understand what we are to do and why, it doesn't require faith. Can someone who has the reputation of being a prostitute actually be used by God and considered a woman of faith? Apparently so...given that, what's our excuse for not being a person of faith?