“They came to Him, bringing one sick of the palsy, bourne by four of them. And when they could not get near, they uncovered the roof where He was and let down the bed wherein he lay.” Mark 2:3-4
In three of the four Gospels we read of a paralysed man being brought by four friends to be healed by Yeshua. But the house where Yeshua was speaking was so crowded they were unable to get near, let alone into the room where Yeshua was. We know these men loved their friend very deeply as they were not about to be put off receiving the miracle he needed because of a crowd of people around Yeshua.
These four men carried their friend up onto the roof and proceeded to dismantle the ceiling above Yeshua’s head, making a hole big enough to lower him down right to where Yeshua was. Proverbs 18:24 says, “there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” In fact, this man had four such friends, who so wanted him to be well that they were not only prepared to carry him around on his bed, but to break through someone’s roof to get him to Yeshua. The Scriptures tell us Yeshua healed the paralysed man when He saw their faith, manifested by their actions. What was in it for them? Probably nothing; but they loved their friend so much they were prepared to risk life and limb, the indignation of the crowds and the anger of the owner of the house, and to pay for mending that roof.
It is said that the true test of friendship is what you are prepared to do for someone you call a friend when there is nothing that they are able to do for you in return. What is more, Yeshua Himself said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). While we know that was certainly how Yeshua showed His love towards us, by the way He laid His life down for us, that we may have eternal life, what a challenge we have to live up to.