I think that many times we overlook characters from the scripture that can serve as important role models. There is nothing wrong with the idea that we respect the washing of Jesus’ feet by Mary Magdelene or consider the woman at the well for worshipping in Spirit and in truth, but what about other background characters? For instance, I have been thinking a lot about the homeowner in the story of the man who was let down through his roof.
17 On one of the days while Jesus was teaching, some proud religious law-keepers and teachers of the Law were sitting by Him. They had come from every town in the countries of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there to heal them. 18 Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was. 19 But they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus.20 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven (Luke 5:17-20, New Life Version).”
We know about the man. We know about his friends as we use them frequently in teaching about being healed by the effort and faith of others. What about the unnamed homeowner who sacrificed his roof? Sometimes our spiritual journey is like that. We are the one who no one ever knows or considers has made a sacrifice of something important to us so that their life can be better. This man never filed a claim or asked, “Hey, who is going to fix my roof?” We could do some research and determine what season of the year this event occurred in order to be more specific about his sacrifice, but whether it was a rainy season or Middle East heat, it cost that man something to have the covering of his home damaged in order to better someone else’s life.
Are we willing to sacrifice our roof for someone else to be touched by Jesus?
24K Leadership
Dr. Kathy Williams