Generally, I think I care too much what others think . . . not as much as I once did, perhaps, but I still find myself being more self-conscious than I think maybe I should be. I actually kind of admire people who seem to be oblivious to what others think of them and are just “out there” . . . not putting on a show, but just being who they are. And I admire it even more when it’s apparent that what they’re “putting out there” is driven by what they believe. That’s probably why these 5 guys in Mark 2:1-12 always get me thinking . . . and, they put a bit of a smile on my face.

Five guys . . . four were able bodied . . . one was a paralytic . . . bed-ridden . . . if he went anywhere, it was because his buddies carried him there. I don’t think we know if this guy was born paralyzed or whether it was the result of an accident or disease later in life. Maybe these five had grown up together . . . played ball (or whatever they played) together as kids . . . gone hunting and fishing together . . . maybe were attendants at one another’s weddings . . . I don’t know, but you gotta think there was something that sealed a bond between them.

And then Jesus comes to town again . . . His reputation as healer precedes Him . . . and people start gathering around Him, maybe at Peter’s house, to hear Him teach. And the gang of five comes up with an idea . . . let’s go see Jesus . . . He has the power of God to heal . . . He can make a paralytic walk. Ok . . . so I’m guessing that 4 guys carrying another guy on a bed doesn’t go unnoticed. And so they’re traipsing down the streets of Capernaum at a brisk pace trying not to bounce their buddy of the bed. And when they get to the house . . . they can’t get to the house. It is packed . . . it’s an overflow crowd . . . there is no room inside . . . they can’t even get near the door. Ok . . . so, they’ve caused enough of a scene already . . . nice try . . . maybe He’ll be here tomorrow and we can come back then . . . let’s head home . . . turn on the tube and watch the game . . . whatever.

But no, these 5 dudes, while not trying to make a scene necessarily, are determined to get the man who needs Jesus in front of the Jesus who meets needs. And so they find the outside stairs leading up to the roof . . . and haul the bed and their buddy up on to the roof . . . and then . . . they start going in. They uncover the roof . . . they start removing tiles . . . they create a hole . . . a big hole . . . not just some peep hole, is it? Assuming they’re going to let him down into the room horizontally (rather than sliding him off the bed vertically . . . thump!! on the floor . . . which would take a smaller hole), the hole in the roof has to be around 6 feet long and more than 2 feet wide. That’s displacing a lot of material . . . some of it must be falling on the crowd . . . Jesus Himself is likely getting dusted up. So . . . talk about making a spectacle of yourself . . . talk about receiving untoward glances of disapproval . . . talk about Peter getting a bit freaked out as he tries to imagine how he’s going to explain this to his insurance adjuster. But these guys are just “out there” . . . not trying to put on a show . . . but determined to do what it takes to get a friend in need in front of the One who meets needs.

And Mark records that “Jesus saw their faith” (Mark 2:5). Jesus saw their faith . . . the faith of the five. Four men carrying a bed with a paralytic on it . . . one paralytic helpless on a bed allowing his buddies to carry him to the Master. All driven by a belief that Jesus had authority and power and desire to heal. Putting thoughts of what others might think aside, they pursued Jesus . . . to the house . . . on to the roof . . . through the roof . . . because they believed in Jesus. The didn’t say they believed in Jesus . . . they showed they believed in Jesus. Jesus didn’t hear them talking about their faith . . . Jesus saw their faith. Had they been more self-conscious . . . had they cared too much of what others might think about the spectacle they were making of themselves . . . perhaps they never would have ventured out of the paralytic’s home, thinking it would look too weird in the streets . . . they might have turned back when they saw the house packed out . . . they may have gone up on the roof, but shied away from tearing it apart for fear of what others might think.

Or, their belief in the Savior would propel them to seek Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. The faith of the five would cause them to pursue Jesus . . . regardless of what others thought . . . even if it meant putting it “out there”. And Jesus sees such faith . . . and I think it blesses Him . . . and brings Him joy. And those who show such faith? . . . well, even though others might talk from time to time, they encounter the King of Kings. Oh, that by the grace of God, I might have more of the faith of the five . . . for His glory, amen.