There’s a story in Mark chapter 2 that has always made me smile — and well, challenged me at the same time. Jesus has returned to Capernaum, and word spreads quickly that He is teaching in a house. The crowd is so thick that no one can even get through the door. Outside stand four men carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat. They’ve come with one goal: get this man to Jesus. But there’s a problem. There’s no room, no aisle and no ushers clearing a path. So, they do something a little unexpected. They climb up on the roof.
Now, imagine being the homeowner. You’re listening to Jesus teach when suddenly dust starts falling from the ceiling. Then bits of roofing material, a little straw, followed by chunks of dried mud. Before you know it, there’s a hole opening up above your head. Next thing you see is a man being lowered down on a mat by four sets of determined hands. That’s not exactly subtle faith — but it’s unforgettable faith.
Mark tells us something important: “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mark 2:5) Notice whose faith Jesus saw. Not just the man on the mat — but the friends holding the ropes.
Life has a way of leaving us flat on our backs sometimes. Illness. Grief. Failure. Depression. Sin. Discouragement. Moments when we know where we need to go, but we simply don’t have the strength to get there on our own. And if we’re honest, most of us don’t like that feeling. We like to be the helpers, not the ones who need help. We like to be the strong ones, not the ones who have to be carried. Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that leaning on others is a weakness.
Scripture tells a different story. The Bible is full of moments where God’s people survive—and thrive—because someone else stepped in to help carry the load. Moses needed Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms. Elijah needed someone to feed him under a broom tree. Paul depended on churches to pray, give and encourage him. And here in Mark 2, a man meets Jesus because his friends refused to leave him where he was.
Galatians 6:2 says it plainly: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Some days, we are the ones holding the ropes. Other days, we are the ones lying on the mat. Both roles matter.
There’s also something quietly humorous — and deeply human — about this story. The paralyzed man doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t object. He doesn’t argue about the method. He just lets himself be carried. That might be the hardest part for many of us. Allowing ourselves to be helped requires humility. It requires trust. It requires admitting, “I can’t do this alone.” And maybe that’s why Jesus starts with forgiveness. Before the man walks, before the crowd celebrates, before the critics are silenced, Jesus addresses the deepest burden the man carries. Sin. Shame. The weight of being broken in a world that often measures people by what they can produce. Jesus doesn’t just restore his legs. He restores his standing before God.
When the man finally gets up, rolls up his mat and walks out the door, he leaves with more than healed muscles. He leaves with forgiven sin, restored dignity and a testimony that would echo long after the hole in the roof was patched.
This story reminds us that faith often looks like persistence. Sometimes faith looks like creativity. And sometimes faith looks like a group of friends saying, “We’ll carry you until you can walk again.”
If you’re in a season where you feel strong, look around. Someone near you may need help getting to Jesus. And if you’re in a season where you feel stuck, weary or worn down — this may be your reminder that it’s okay to let someone else carry you for a while. God designed the church, families and friendships for moments just like these. None of us were meant to walk alone.
