A Prayer to Make Others Comfortable
By Laura Bailey
Bible Reading
“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on” - Mark 2:3-4 NIV
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“Could you snap the back for me, please?” my daughter’s friend whispered. I could tell she wanted to take her turn jumping off the diving board but wasn’t entirely confident in her swimming skills to attempt it without a floating device. It was a typical summer day at our house. The pool was filled with giggling girls practicing cannon balls, swan dives, and the occasional belly flop. This day, we’d invited a few friends over to celebrate the end of the school year; these ladies were officially 3rd graders! Being in the south, the only relief from the muggy, scorching summer weather is lounging in water, so most children learn to swim young. Being an 8-year-old who still depends on your floaties to wade in the deep can cause unsolicited remarks from a group.
“Why do you need those floaties? Don’t you know how to swim?”
“Wait, can you not jump off the diving board without help?”
“Are you scared? You don’t have to be; it’s not that deep!”
The comments weren’t meant to hurt, but I could tell she was embarrassed by the blush on the little girl’s cheek. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my daughter slipping in a pair of floaties and shouting, “Look at me, I can walk on water!” as she splashed in the pool. The group erupted in laughter, creating enough diversion for my daughter’s friend to plop into the pool unnoticed.
I couldn’t help but fight back the tears forming in the corner of my eyes, making a mental note to share with my daughter how proud I was of her attempt to make our guest feel more comfortable. Later, as we said our goodbyes, the little girl gave my daughter a big hug, smiling as she thanked her for inviting her over and being such a good friend. That night, before we went to bed, I told my daughter I wanted to read a story from the Bible about some pretty amazing friends, the kind she had been that day. We read of the four selfless companions prioritizing their comfort and risking people making fun of them for their actions. They could have just told their lame friend, “Oh, well, sorry you can’t come, maybe next time.” Instead, they laid down their desires, not caring what other people would think, and made a way for their friend to see Jesus.
As I shared that story with my little girl, we discussed how what she did for her friend that day was like the friends in the story. She saw a need and, with a simple gesture, took a step to make her friend feel comfortable. She could have joined the other girls, questioned why, or ignored the conversation altogether. Instead, she moved closer and took action, just like in Mark 2:3-4. As I recalled the incident of the day and the story of the friends in Scripture, I felt a sense of guilt at how often I may not have participated in someone’s pain, but I didn’t make an effort to provide comfort. While the men in the scriptures gesture was pretty grand and can’t be much bigger than putting a hole in the roof and lowering your friend down to see Jesus, every day offers small yet significant ways we can show the love of Jesus to those around us— we only need to keep our eyes opened, and our hearts in tune to the Spirit.
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of friendship. Help us to move toward people who need our help, love, and care, taking action to comfort them. Guide us as we look for ways to show compassion, taking action to care for others daily. We pray that we will be people whose hearts are turned to You and are easily pricked when You move us to co-labor with You.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/SDI Productions
Laura Bailey is an author and Bible teacher who encourages women to understand what they believe, why it matters, and how to apply biblical truths to their lives. Her recent book, Embracing Eternity in the Here and Now, explores how the timeless truths of Ecclesiastes help us live more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful lives today.
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
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