The Faith of Friends
Mark 2:1-5
“When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And some people came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. And when they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man was lying. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
This is one of my favorite accounts from the Bible. Four men carried a friend to Jesus, and as a result, he is not only healed, he is saved. Their faith catapulted him to the feet of Jesus where his life was changed forever. This does not mean that the man himself didn’t have to come to faith in Christ; the point is to tell us how the faith of others was pivotal to the faith of this man.
That principle is true for you and for me. There are people we know, people we can name in our past and in our lives today, whose faith has spurred us on. Perhaps it was their faith to witness and share Christ with us that was instrumental in our salvation. Perhaps it was the faith of a Bible Study teacher, a pastor, a work associate, a neighbor or a friend, that showed up in a time of desperation, and it challenged us to go deeper with Christ.
It was also true for Dad. God used Dad’s great-grandmother and an aunt and uncle to care and provide physically as well as spiritually for him in some dark days throughout his childhood. And God used Hazel to give Dad safety while she lived a life that would draw my grandfather to faith in Jesus. And the faith of Mom saying “Yes” to marrying Dad knowing the adversity they could face changed their futures forever.
But it wasn’t just family faith that helped Dad, there have been some friends along the way that demonstrated remarkable faith. These people showed amazing trust in God by helping Mom and Dad when life's obstacles were overwhelming. Each of these are Christ followers and, in their own way, climbed up on the roof and carried Dad to Jesus.
It would be impossible to tell you about the ways Bobby and Carolyn Webb came alongside mom and dad. They have ben lifelong friends in good times, bad times, hard times and confusing times. Bobby and Carolyn never abandoned them; they were there for hospital visits, project assistance, and literally anything Mom and Dad needed. They helped from a posture of faith, not from one of benevolence. They served Jesus by faith, and Mom and Dad received a blessing from their faith.
When my mom went to work full-time because of Dad’s job losses, Bob and Jean Yates stepped in and provided childcare for me. Their son, Mike, and daughter, Vicki, also helped out with caring for me as a child. Bob was instrumental in getting Dad a job at ADM grain company before he took disability and retired early. Bob helped during the last years as Dad’s health deteriorated quickly, and Jean was a great source of encouragement to Mom. They demonstrated unbelievable faith in God as they gave selflessly as needs arose.
Bill and Pat Maxwell contributed to great spiritual growth in my mom and dad in their middle age years. Mom and Dad both taught Bible classes at the church and discipled people in our home and the friendship of Bill and Pat Maxwell was so instrumental in these groups. I have memories of being at their house for hours and hours of prayer times, Bible studies and fellowship. Bill and Pat were in our home and the hospital often praying over Mom and Dad. Like the friends of the man lowered from the roof, Bill and Pat carried Mom and Dad before Jesus so many times, it is impossible for me to remember them all. They demonstrated remarkable faith.
Brother Bob Carpenter served as their pastor during some of Dad’s most challenging health journeys. He and his wife, Martha made every hospital visit to Dad, were in our home and shared counsel and encouragement when Mom and Dad needed it most. Brother Bob was not only a true pastor and shepherd to Dad, but also a friend. It was under his ministry that Dad was ordained a deacon. Bob was willing to demonstrate great faith in ordaining Dad, knowing that many of his deacon responsibilities could not be carried out fully because of his physical limitations. Martha provided constant friendship and fellowship to Mom. What a testimony of a friendship of faith.
Bill and Faye Wilson also stepped out in faith to come alongside Mom and Dad. By the time the Wilsons came along, Dad was in a hospital bed at our house most of the time. They helped with home projects, repaired cars, and did many things that Dad could not do for himself. Bill was instrumental in putting a roof on their house. And on one particular occasion, when Dad was experiencing an awful bleed from his legs, the Wilsons came and helped Mom nurse the wounds. They were prayer warriors, faith warriors and true encouragers that acted by faith to carry them to the feet of Jesus.
God also used Don and Betty Wright to help encourage the faith for Mom and Dad. There were countless evenings that Don and Betty would come to the house and spiritually uplift them. Betty encouraged and strengthened Mom’s faith, and Don would sit with Dad, confined to a hospital bed, and together they would study their Bibles, pray and seek God together. The fact that Don would take the time to befriend Dad and encourage him meant so much. And after Dad’s death, Don and Betty were always at-the-ready to help Mom handle home and car repair, and many other practical needs. The Wrights were instruments of Christ to encourage a deep faith.
All of these and so many more could have ignored Mom and Dad, could have gone on life’s way and chosen not to get involved. Instead they took faith steps. And in every case their faith encouraged my parents’ faith. These were all people who, in their own ways, climbed up on a roof, tore back the roofing and lowered Dad to Jesus. I will forever be grateful for what they did; but more than that, I am grateful for who they are. They are people of faith. And their faith caused my family to go deeper in our faith.
Are you tempted sometimes, like me, to doubt? to live in unbelief? We are tempted us to trust in ourselves or our good works to save us. And as believers, we are tempted to doubt God’s faithfulness. I encourage you to continue your journey from unbelief to belief and to help someone else do the same. Be that friend that carries your friend to the feet of Jesus.
Think About It
Who are the people that have been instrumental in you coming to faith in Christ and going deeper in your faith in Christ?
Who are you bringing to Jesus and challenging to go deeper with Jesus?
Pray
Thank God for the friends He has given you through the years who have brought you to Jesus by faith, and encouraged your faith-walk with Christ. Ask God to help you see friends (or maybe even strangers) in your life who need a faith-filled friend to walk with them, carry them, and sit with them as they endure life’s trials and joys. Ask God to help you deepen and strengthen your faith to bring your friends to Jesus.