At some point in our lives, we all will face something that we cannot overcome on our own. There will be a problem that will require the help of friends. I think we would all agree that there’s been nothing that has revealed our need to live in community more than the months of isolation we’ve endured through this season of Covid-19.
The key, however, is not just to surround ourselves with any friend, but to surround ourselves with the right type of friend. In Mark, we read about a powerful miracle that Jesus performed. As the story unfolds, we find Jesus was teaching in a house in which He was staying, and it became so packed that they had overflowed outside. Mark 2, however, is not just a lesson about the power of Jesus, but it’s also a wonderful reminder of how important it is to surround ourselves with the right friends.
1. They will carry your burden for a while.
In Mark 2:2-4, we see that the friends picked up their paralyzed friend and carried him on a mat. They went above and beyond because of their concern and love for him.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ.” True friends won’t abandon you when the going gets tough. They also know, however, that their help isn’t the ultimate solution.
2. They will carry you to Jesus.
Your friends will help carry your burdens for a while, but they know that ultimately, you need Jesus. They know they have limits, but He’s limitless. The paralyzed man in Mark 2 had friends who believed Jesus was his only hope.
Do you have friends around you who will actually carry you to the feet of Jesus so that He can heal you and meet you in whatever situation you find yourself?
What does “bringing you to Jesus” look like? The right friends may:
~Pray for you
~Relentless pursue you and actually introduce you to Jesus
~Guide you through Scriptures that will help in your situation
~Point you to a book that has helped them
~Point you to a podcast or other resource to support you
3. They will persevere.
The friends in this story would not take no for an answer. It wasn’t an option. When they arrived, the house may have been packed, but they were determined to get their friend to Jesus. Nothing would stop them.
“They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.” (Mark 2:4)
Can you imagine the scene–watching as a few men climbed to the roof, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered their friend down at the feet of Jesus? John Churton Collins once said, “In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends.”
The right friends won’t be “fair-weather” friends. They won’t abandon you when things get challenging. Instead, they will persevere and encourage you to do the same.
4. They will have deep faith.
“Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.'” (Mark 2:5) Jesus was moved by the friends’ faith. Why did Jesus forgive the man’s sins before healing him? I believe it’s because Jesus was showing what the most important thing was. The man’s body would die one day, but his soul would live forever.
The right friends will have a deep faith rooted in the promises of God’s Word. Their faith will set them apart from all others.
Questions to consider:
Are you the right kind of friend?
Do you have the right friends in your life?
Like this article? Subscribe!
Get email updates each time I post a new article!
