12 January 2024 Mark 2:1-12
My faith is not my own. Somebody else needs it.
Jesus did not heal the paralytic when he saw the paralytic’s faith. Jesus healed him when he saw the faith of his friends – the friends who put him on a stretcher, who tried to get in the front door but couldn’t because of the crowd, who hauled him up to the roof, and made a hole in the roof (somebody else’s roof, not their own, but they didn’t care about that), who let him down easy so he could be right in front of Jesus. That’s how great their determination was to get their friend in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw that, he healed the paralytic.
Their faith was not their own. Their friend needed it.
There are people out there who are paralyzed. They can’t move. They can’t get closer to God. They can’t get closer to their wives or husbands. They can’t get closer to their children. They can’t get closer to their neighbors. Heck, they may not even be able to get to the doctor. Their thinking is so confused and crowded that they don’t know what to do first, and so they do nothing. They need someone who can quiet the roar in their heads, who can clear the clutter and reveal the first necessary thing.
They need someone who says every day, prays every day: “My faith is not my own. Someone else needs it.”
How bad is it out there? Pretty bad. Over a third of teenagers report feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness, an increase of 40% since 2011, a 60% increase in teens considering suicide. Suicides among young Americans have increased 47% since 2000. At the moment there is little in the way to slow all that down. People who have religious faith are sometimes intimidated by figures like this, and think their little bit of faith is insignificant in comparison to the gravity of the problems. Faith even in small amounts, however, is sufficient to accomplish great things: “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). The important thing is to get started.
Because your faith is not your own. Somebody else needs it, even if you only have a little.
Concern over what may be too shallow faith, however, is a legitimate concern. If we are stewards of something, anything that other people need, and we know we only have a small amount to give, then all honorable people need to do whatever it takes to build up their supply to meet demand. Jesus had some pretty sharp words for those of little faith who were in a perfect position to have more. Here is a pretty straightforward way to have more: do one thing every day that you didn’t do yesterday to love, honor and celebrate Jesus.
Didn’t pray for your parents yesterday? Pray for them today.
Didn’t read the Bible yesterday? Read a chapter today.
Didn’t confess your sins yesterday? Confess them today.
Didn’t give anything away yesterday? Give something away today.
One thing more, every day, adds up to a lot over time.
Get started.
Because you are not your own, and your faith is not your own. Somebody else needs it, needs you.
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