The Gospel of MatthewNäide

The Greater Miracle

Sometimes we celebrate physical healing more than we do forgiveness. We cheer when someone shares a story of their body being restored—but we often overlook the miracle of a heart being made new. Yet in Matthew 9, when a paralyzed man is brought to Jesus, the first thing Jesus says isn’t “Get up and walk”—it’s “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Healing the man’s body was powerful. But forgiving his sins? That was the greater miracle. Jesus came not just to fix what’s broken on the outside, but to restore what’s broken on the inside. Forgiveness is the foundation of every true healing.

Jesus’ mission wasn’t just to perform miracles—it was to show compassion, heal hearts, and bring people back to God. Forgiveness may not be as flashy as a physical miracle, but it is eternal. It changes our standing with God forever.

Respond to God’s Word:

Pause today and receive Jesus’ forgiveness afresh. Let it sink in—your sins are truly forgiven. Then look for someone who needs compassion, and share with them the love and grace that Jesus has freely given to you.