A Lesson (or two) from Jairus
When he arrived at the house Jesus did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”
They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. Luke 8:51-53
Just the other night at dinner with my friend Patty, I used the example of Jesus interacting with Jairus to help her through a family situation. No one in her family is dying, thank God, but she is in a difficult spot. Patty is a wonderful, faithful woman who has tried for a long time to handle things the way she believes God wants her to handle them. She has treated all the parties involved with respect and has endured treatment that bears no resemblance to kindness. In short she has exhibited grace under fire. After awhile, enough is enough. She wants to bring faith and respect to interactions with people who are bringing little of either to the table.
This morning I woke up praying for one of my children who is in a bad position as well. He also is not dying, thank God again, but his spirit is in danger. A bit later, included in my morning reading and prayer, was the story of Jairus and a commentary about it. The commentator made a lot of the same points I made with Patty.
When Jesus went in to heal Jairus’s daughter he took her parents, Peter, John and James. He sent the weepers and naysayers out of the house. These may have been wonderful well meaning people but they were focusing on the wrong part of the story. Some of them laughed at Jesus and most likely some were irritated. If the girl was dead then wasn’t the young rabbi giving her parents false hope?
No, he was not. Notice the people Jesus took with him. The girl’s parents, who want so much to believe that Jesus can heal their daughter. Maybe they had faith, but they certainly had hope. Peter, John and James, no stranger to Jesus’ miracles, they had faith and most likely they also had hope. Even if the only hope they had was that Jesus would heal her so they wouldn’t look foolish.
The story of Jairus is not in the Bible just to show us what Jesus can do for the sick, dying and even dead. It is also there to show us what kinds of people hinder our faith. A teaching I heard years ago referred to the naysayers and wailers as toxic people. We all know them. They’re quick to point out the foibles and pitfalls of any situation. They are often happy to point out the flaws in our personalities. Sometimes the toxic citizens are just people who always see the glass as half-empty and have never seen a tree for all the forests around.
Jesus tells us by example to keep them out of our prayer lives. There may be times when we have to distance ourselves completely. That I believe is the lesson for Patty. For my son, I’m not sure. I want him to have his spiritual health restored. I want to see him alive with the love of Christ, vibrant and joyfilled. I don’t know what God wants for him but I do know that I was encouraged to continue praying for him.
Whether it is our bodies, spirits, finances of anything else that needs healing, we can call on Jesus in faith and hope. Some people hinder our faith walk, those people we do not need around. He will come, even after we think it is too late. God is never late, Jairus and Lazarus would be quick to attest to that.
They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. Luke 8:51-53
Just the other night at dinner with my friend Patty, I used the example of Jesus interacting with Jairus to help her through a family situation. No one in her family is dying, thank God, but she is in a difficult spot. Patty is a wonderful, faithful woman who has tried for a long time to handle things the way she believes God wants her to handle them. She has treated all the parties involved with respect and has endured treatment that bears no resemblance to kindness. In short she has exhibited grace under fire. After awhile, enough is enough. She wants to bring faith and respect to interactions with people who are bringing little of either to the table.
This morning I woke up praying for one of my children who is in a bad position as well. He also is not dying, thank God again, but his spirit is in danger. A bit later, included in my morning reading and prayer, was the story of Jairus and a commentary about it. The commentator made a lot of the same points I made with Patty.
When Jesus went in to heal Jairus’s daughter he took her parents, Peter, John and James. He sent the weepers and naysayers out of the house. These may have been wonderful well meaning people but they were focusing on the wrong part of the story. Some of them laughed at Jesus and most likely some were irritated. If the girl was dead then wasn’t the young rabbi giving her parents false hope?
No, he was not. Notice the people Jesus took with him. The girl’s parents, who want so much to believe that Jesus can heal their daughter. Maybe they had faith, but they certainly had hope. Peter, John and James, no stranger to Jesus’ miracles, they had faith and most likely they also had hope. Even if the only hope they had was that Jesus would heal her so they wouldn’t look foolish.
The story of Jairus is not in the Bible just to show us what Jesus can do for the sick, dying and even dead. It is also there to show us what kinds of people hinder our faith. A teaching I heard years ago referred to the naysayers and wailers as toxic people. We all know them. They’re quick to point out the foibles and pitfalls of any situation. They are often happy to point out the flaws in our personalities. Sometimes the toxic citizens are just people who always see the glass as half-empty and have never seen a tree for all the forests around.
Jesus tells us by example to keep them out of our prayer lives. There may be times when we have to distance ourselves completely. That I believe is the lesson for Patty. For my son, I’m not sure. I want him to have his spiritual health restored. I want to see him alive with the love of Christ, vibrant and joyfilled. I don’t know what God wants for him but I do know that I was encouraged to continue praying for him.
Whether it is our bodies, spirits, finances of anything else that needs healing, we can call on Jesus in faith and hope. Some people hinder our faith walk, those people we do not need around. He will come, even after we think it is too late. God is never late, Jairus and Lazarus would be quick to attest to that.
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