Who Sees Your Faith?

We have been needing some extra prayers and support during the last two weeks. Monique recently took a fall as we entered a church where I was preaching and lightly sprained her left ankle. Four days later, she fell going down into our garage and badly twisted that same ankle, as well as sustaining a concussion. We are all “doctored up” now with a boot and a walker to help her get around, but every day she is still feeling the effects of that second fall! We keep telling ourselves, “These are the Golden Years!” But the gold may have recently tarnished a bit!

Home Hair Care!

We are blessed to have a daughter, Michelle, who lives just minutes away. She has been available to lend her help and support throughout the years. She cuts my hair, helps me with yard work and lavishes us with her verbal encouragement. After a haircut, she’ll brag, “Daddy, you look amazing!” Monique claims that I don’t have enough hair to merit all her heaping praises! This week, it was Monique who was blessed by her talents when Michelle offered to come over to wash and dry her hair!

I know what some of you are thinking. It must be nice to have a hair stylist in the family! Michelle is a high school math teacher by profession! But she is also highly creative (if not daring!) and cuts her husband’s and three boys’ hair, and styles her teenage daughter’s beautiful tresses. She does all of this without expecting anything in return. When I do give her a “little change,” she says, “Thanks, Daddy! I always spend this on the kids!” What a serving, giving daughter! And she’s just one of our four generous and talented adult kids!

Our pastors are in a Lenten sermon series on the disciplines of the faith and how God shapes us through daily experiences or practices. They have been referring to John Mark Comer’s book, Practicing the Way. While no one welcomes pain and suffering, it can be seen as instructional. We do grow through our adversities. One thematic reminder that was emphasized in last Sunday’s message on “Working Through Suffering” was “don’t suffer alone!” That’s a good word to those of us who retreat within ourselves during painful times when we need to reach out to others in the community of faith for help and support.

One of my favorite stories in Mark’s gospel occurred early in Jesus’ ministry. The way Mark orders it, Jesus had already performed several miracles, and the crowds were following him everywhere to hear him teach and to see what he might do next. On this specific occasion, Jesus was in Capernaum, His home base, at that time. So many people came that the house where he was staying was packed inside and out!

His teaching was interrupted by four men carrying one of their paralyzed friends on a stretcher- like mat. Since the throng prevented access to Jesus, they took him to the roof and made an opening through which to lower their friend into the presence of Jesus. Jesus eventually gave this man his miracle and salvation, too. But the verse that has intrigued me for years simply says, “When Jesus saw their faith” (Mark 2:5), then He changed this man’s life!

The word that Mark uses for their is plural and we are left to assume that this refers to the faith of those four friends who gripped each corner of the pallet that had been lowered before Jesus. (It is likely a reference to the paralytic man’s faith as well!) In my imagination, I see Jesus looking into the earnest faces of those friends and seeing that their hearts were full of faith in the God of miracles!

The blessing is that the paralytic walked out of the house that day with a complete physical and spiritual healing! And how was this possible? He was blessed to have four friends whom he turned to in the hour of need, and he, as well as they, believed that Jesus would make a difference! And He did… for then and eternity! The man refused to suffer alone! He is our example of how to deal with difficulties and adversities.

Let’s be like the friends in this gospel account. See the needs of others as an opportunity to serve and lend caring support. You can be sure that those you help will see your faith!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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