The second chapter of Mark begins with the story of a paraplegic who is lowered through the roof by his friends in order to see Jesus. There's much to be said about this story, but for today, I'll just reflect on the friends of the paraplegic.
I wondered today as I read that story how different that man's life would have been had he and his friends not been so bold. What if they'd seen the crowd and given up? Turned around and gone home? Decided that they didn't want to be a bother? I mean, obviously, Jesus had his hands full with a crowd that size. I'm sad to say that that's probably what I would have done.
Mark says that Jesus was "impressed by their boldness," and He not only healed the man's soul but his body as well. I'm not naturally bold or tenacious. I tend to think I should absorb whatever life hands my way and accept it as God's will, but lately, I've begun to see I'm a little off-balance in that regard. There is much to be said for accepting your lot in life, in accepting the things that you cannot change: your age, race, gender, family, marital status, childlessness (or overabundance thereof), etc, etc. I'm not talking about those things. I'm talking about the things that God has given you to do - like the friends of the paraplegic. They had a task - get their friend to Jesus no matter what. The crowd was too thick to walk through, so they got creative and cut a hole in the roof.They got their friend to Jesus. They found a way. They made it happen; and in so doing, Jesus healed their friend. He changed his life drastically and dramatically, and I would venture a guess that their lives were never the same either.
Life overflows with obstacles: the crowd (other people) and roofs (other things), but I want to do what God has given me to do. I want to complete my task like the friends of the paraplegic completed theirs. I want to impress Jesus with my boldness. I want to skirt the crowd and cut through the roof.
I wondered today as I read that story how different that man's life would have been had he and his friends not been so bold. What if they'd seen the crowd and given up? Turned around and gone home? Decided that they didn't want to be a bother? I mean, obviously, Jesus had his hands full with a crowd that size. I'm sad to say that that's probably what I would have done.
Mark says that Jesus was "impressed by their boldness," and He not only healed the man's soul but his body as well. I'm not naturally bold or tenacious. I tend to think I should absorb whatever life hands my way and accept it as God's will, but lately, I've begun to see I'm a little off-balance in that regard. There is much to be said for accepting your lot in life, in accepting the things that you cannot change: your age, race, gender, family, marital status, childlessness (or overabundance thereof), etc, etc. I'm not talking about those things. I'm talking about the things that God has given you to do - like the friends of the paraplegic. They had a task - get their friend to Jesus no matter what. The crowd was too thick to walk through, so they got creative and cut a hole in the roof.They got their friend to Jesus. They found a way. They made it happen; and in so doing, Jesus healed their friend. He changed his life drastically and dramatically, and I would venture a guess that their lives were never the same either.
Life overflows with obstacles: the crowd (other people) and roofs (other things), but I want to do what God has given me to do. I want to complete my task like the friends of the paraplegic completed theirs. I want to impress Jesus with my boldness. I want to skirt the crowd and cut through the roof.
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