A Little Effort and a Lot of Faith

You have been given a chance to switch bodies and live someone else’s life for a day. Who would you go pick? Someone famous? Or perhaps someone rich? Or someone really good looking? Whatever you go for, it would probably be someone who you imagine has it easier than you, right? How many people would genuinely be happy to choose to live poor, sick or lacking a sense or a limb?

This is not to say that there is anything wrong about belonging to a special needs community; but the reality is that most people, if given the choice, would prefer if they did not live that way. One such man lived in Palestine hundreds of years ago. He was a paralytic, possibly quadriplegic given the trouble his friends had to go through to get him to Jesus. (Mark 2:4) He did not have much to live for. He probably lived off the kindness of good Samaritans and I can see how the act of bringing Him to Jesus would have been a last ditch effort to help him.

It is unclear if it was him, or his friends who suggested that he tries to find healing from Christ, but Jesus “saw their faith” (Mark 2:5) and that was all He needed to see. Not only did He forgive the man’s sins, but He healed him as well, giving him a new lease of life.

We may not physically feel it, but a lot of us today, just like this man, are living a meaningless life. That we are not always bothered does not change the fact that we are spiritually paralyzed. If we have any semblance of a spiritual life, it is fickle and lifeless, and our efforts are almost as good as the man’s ability to take himself to Jesus.

This story was recorded in scripture to remind us that all it takes is a little effort and a lot of faith. The man did not need to understand all there was to know about the Torah, or fast twice a week and give his tithe and offering to demonstrate his belief in the power of Jesus. All he needed to do was to show up. And show up he did, despite his rather unconventional approach.

When we believe that Jesus means business when He says that whoever comes to Him He will in no wise cast out, (John 6:37), then just like this man, we place ourselves in a prime position to receive His choicest blessing. He only needs to speak a word, and that word is enough to “purge” our “conscience from dead works”. (Hebrews 9:14)

You do not have to actually die to be considered dead any less than you need to be quadriplegic to be seen as one. The good news is that if you feel you are spiritually dead or crippled, then you are in good company because Jesus did not come “to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Mark 2:17)

Written by Herman Tambo

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *