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My 3-year-old granddaughter Caroline wants to befriend everyone she meets. She has never met a stranger. Nor can she understand how her grandfather is her mother’s dad.

“But you don’t live with him,” she argued.

“When you grow up, you move into your own house,” her mom Monique explained.

“Will people be there already?” Caroline asked.

“No.”

“Then I’m not growing up.”

While the choice to grow up is not hers, the types of friends she has, and the type of friend she is, all lie within her decisions. I pray she is the kind of friend I see in Mark 2:1-12.

While Jesus was in a house preaching, four men arrived carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat. Because the house was filled, they went on the roof and dug a hole above Jesus’ head. It must have been quite a large hole because they were able to lower the mat through the hole and set the man down right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith (which was through the roof!), he forgave the man’s sins and healed him.

I hope Caroline is the type of friend who can bring someone to Jesus. Whether paralyzed physically or emotionally traumatized and unable to move forward, may she be the one who defies obstacles and brings her friends to the Great Physician.

 

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.