GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 2:3
Friends
I faced an emergency, well, a crisis, in caring for my wife, Alice, and was “at my wits’ end.” I needed a friend, a counselor, an advisor, someone to talk with. So I called a former colleague whom I hadn’t seen or talked with for a long while. I’m sure his schedule was full with professional duties, family, and personal obligations, but he came to the house within minutes. His wise counsel helped me bring my thoughts under control and make the next decision for Alice’s care. He traveled with us to the hospital and stayed until the afternoon. (By the way, all of Alice’s tests were good, and she should make a full recovery.)
St. Mark records the account of anonymous men who helped a friend: “And they came, bringing to him a paralytic, being carried by four.” (Mark 2:3) Matthew (9:2-8) and Luke (5:17-19) also recorded this event, adding details to Mark’s account. These four friends undoubtedly had obligations of their own, but they laid aside whatever those may have been to help this man.
Commentators I checked give most of their focus to Jesus, and without minimizing his place, this whole event would not have occurred without the aid of these four anonymous helpers—friends who carried the paralytic to Jesus. As old as this story is, it never ceases to remind me of the importance of friends. Anonymous though they may be, they help “carry” us through crises. Be a friend, and hug a friend today. Thanks B.R. for being a friend, a friend in a personal crisis.
Directory