Getting Real

We took time to read Mark 2:1-12 carefully and discuss our impressions.  We tried to put ourselves in the shoes of the four people who carry the paralyzed man to Jesus.
What is motivating us?
--Faith (belief) is Jesus' capacity to heal
--A desire to help, to "be legs and arms" for the man
--The wish to "treat our friend as we would hope that someone would treat us" in a similar circumstance.
--Make our caring real
--embrace the joy of friendship
When there is no way to get into the house and be close to Jesus, because of crowd, how come they (we) don't just turn around and wait for another opportunity?
--Commitment
--Imagination
--Making space for the friend by removing an obstacle
We felt that in spite of the damage to the roof Jesus would be delighted!  We reflected on ways that we can display this kind of commitment in being a faith community that "makes room."

We considered the questions from the homework (previous post):
What does this story tell us about friendship?
--"Friends will do anything for your well-being."
--Jesus will care in all situations.
What kind of power is at work when we practice true friendship?
--Faith (defined as "trust")
--Hope
--Joy
--"Buddy system"
--Teamwork
--Care (as opposed to isolation)

What role does our faith--our trusting relationship with God, lived out in daily life--have in our friendships?
We came back to the "Golden Rule," which Jesus teaches us is at the heart of Christian faith and practice.  This story opened up possibilities to think about it in ways that impact our lives daily.