That’s what friends are for

Keep smiling. Keep shining. That’s what friends are for!! An old song which often reminds me of the qualities expected from friends around us.
In a village yonder years ago was a man who was paralysed from his neck downwards and was completely bed ridden. He had four friends. He could neither run nor join his friends in a walk in the park. He could not go hiking with them. All that he could do was cheer on the sidelines when his friends played a game of football. Years rolled by and he was resigned to his fate.

One day there came news of a man who entered their little village. His fame preceded Him. It was said that He had healed many who were blind, many who were deaf, many who were stricken with demons and raised even the dead. He entered the village and went straight to a house. On hearing of His arrival, the entire village descended into that house. The house was full and crowds spilled out into the streets all around the house to hear this great man’s discourses and to see Him.

The four friends ran to their paralysed friend and carried him up along with the cot on their shoulders and ran to that house. They hoped of healing for their friend. When they reached that house, there was no way they could enter the house because of the crowds. Did they give up?? NO.NIEN. They climbed up the roof. Remember these were houses constructed in the yonder years. No stairs. No lifts. Probably just a ladder. Now imagine four people carrying a cot with a paralysed man on it and climbing up. Not only did they climb onto the roof but broke open the roof to let the man down into the middle of the room. The room was full of people and with the roof being broken up, there would have been a whole lot shouting and cursing going up against the friends’ actions. But it did not deter them.
No wonder Jesus looked at their faith (note that it was the friends faith) and healed the paralysed man. (Mark 2: 1-12)

How many times do we come across friends who are spiritually paralysed. Many who are backslidden and living their lives in habits that keep them away from God’s presence. And as self righteous christians, we shun them and do not make any attempt at restoring them to God’s presence. We surely would have done some attempt and at the least show of resistance, we would have walked away and said that s/he deserves the condition s/he is in. We would have been hurt with the way s/he would have reacted to our effort of restoration and given up all effort. The paralysed person in this instance too would have shown dissent on being carried to the house for healing. He would have shown disbelief on being told that there was a chance of healing for him. He would have resisted efforts at being carried up to the roof. But Praise GOD for the four friends who persisted. They kept their chin up, smiled on in the face of resistance and kept shining through their faith in God. Their efforts and faith brought healing into the life of their friend.

What about you? Will you not persist with your friend? Will you not have faith in the healing ability of God? Will you not love your friend as much as God loved you???