Dare to do the difficult thing!

Mark 2:1-12

1 AND JESUS having returned to Capernaum, after some days it was rumored about that He was in the house [probably Peter’s]. 2 And so many people gathered together there that there was no longer room [for them], not even around the door; and He was discussing the Word.3 Then they came, bringing a paralytic to Him, who had been picked up and was being carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get him to a place in front of Jesus because of the throng, they dug through the roof above Him; and when they had scooped out an opening, they let down the [ thickly padded] quilt or mat upon which the paralyzed man lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith [their confidence in God through Him], He said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven [you] and put away [that is, the penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God]. 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, holding a dialogue with themselves as they questioned in their hearts, 7 Why does this Man talk like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins [ remove guilt, remit the penalty, and bestow righteousness instead] except God alone? 8 And at once Jesus, becoming fully aware in His spirit that they thus debated within themselves, said to them, Why do you argue (debate, reason) about all this in your hearts? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven and put away, or to say, Rise, take up your sleeping pad or mat, and start walking about [and keep on walking]? 10 But that you may know positively and beyond a doubt that the Son of Man has right and authority and power on earth to forgive sins—He said to the paralyzed man, 11 I say to you, arise, pick up and carry your sleeping pad or mat, and be going on home. 12 And he arose at once and picked up the sleeping pad or mat and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and recognized and praised and thanked God, saying, We have never seen anything like this before!

Food for thought!

Four men wanted to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus, but couldn’t get him there because of the crowds that blocked the door into the house where Jesus was teaching. You already see how egoistic sometimes we get! Imagine: here's is a sick man on a stretcher wanting to get to the divine healer and be healed, and no one lets him do it. It is like the people are saying, we don't mind about you and your sickness as long as we are OK and listening to what Jesus is saying; don't disturb us with your problems. I am imagining the sick man pleading with the people to have mercy on his situation ...!

The sick man was lucky, he had friends (a friend in need is a friend indeed). His friends having gotten fed up with the people's attitude, must have said to their friend, "don't mind them, these people are also sick, may be sicker than you; they may be physically ok, spiritually they are not; they too need Jesus." So the four men took their friend where there was nobody, onto the roof of the house, broke up the roof and lowered their friend down to Jesus through the hole in the roof.

These four men who brought their friend to Jesus were willing to do whatever it took to get their friend to the Lord. They dared to do what was difficult. Whenever you are faced with a choice between doing two things, always choose the most difficult and the most unlikely. That's where the blessing is lying disguised. It was not easy to carry that grown up man up on the roof. It was a difficult task. The gospel says, "And when they could not get him to a place in front of Jesus because of the throng, they dug through the roof above Him."

The people dared to do the unusual. They were willing to think outside the box! They were innovative! For them, it was not business as usual, it took ingenuity to think of breaking up the rules. Yes, sometimes we must do the extraordinary in order to get the ordinary; we must break the rules and go against everyone's expectations. In the eyes of the people, the four men were breaking the rules and going against the normal thing, against the "good" thing. For Jesus, however, these four men were something else, they were heroes. What Jesus saw in these men was not folly but faith.

If you think you are lacking these men's faith and courage, if you believe that you need a turn around in your life, if you feel some people or someone is stopping you from getting to Jesus, is stopping you from achieving your dream, if you feel you are like that sick man in need of genuine friends to carry you forward to Jesus and to healing and to forgiveness and to holiness and wholeness ... I pray that you learn to dare.