Mark 2:1-12

This is a great story of four friends doing whatever they could for their paralyzed friend, even if it means cutting a hole in someone's roof, and lowering him down, for a chance to have Jesus heal their friend.   That's is cool friendship.   I don't know if I was paralyzed if my friends would cut a hole in a roof for me.   But here it is, and I wonder if there was a smile on Jesus's face, as this man was being lowered down right in front of him.   I wonder what the reaction was of the man who owned the house.

This was a last ditch attempt by these guys to help their friend, there was no way they were going to get through the front door, it was packed inside and out (though note how the religious leaders were just sitting there).   Jesus, or how He refers to himself, 'The Son of Man' showed that He could forgiven sins, and heal the man.   He had to show to the people that He had authority to do both.   Pretty amazing.

But thinking about this man, and his friends ... have we ever been in such a desperate state that we would do something extreme like they did?   We have alot in the North American culture, we ARE a culture of Excess.   We have stuff that most of the world doesn't ... car, job, education, welfare, healthcare ...  But when our pride takes a toll, when we would give up our 'comfortable-ness' (yes it's a word, i just typed it ;)  )  to help someone, like these four guys did for the paralytic ... that's admirable ... and it's an act of faith.

The challenge today I think, is to what extent are we willing to give of ourselves so that someone might come into a relationship with Christ?  Humility, forgiveness, loving our neighbor ... praying for our enemies.   It's quite a challenge not only for today, but for our lives.