When God Shows Up: Real Stories of Faithಮಾದರಿ

Amelia*

“...When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.'” Luke 5:20, NLT

When you go to a new doctor’s office, sign a permission slip, or fill out a form at work, who do you put in the line that says “emergency contact?" For some people, like Amelia, that question is devastatingly hard to answer.

When Amelia was applying to be mentored in Stand in the Gap’s program for young adults from hard places, like foster care, she froze at that line on the application. She looked at the Program Manager and admitted, after some thought, that there was no one in her life that she could contact in an emergency.

In the Gospel story, we see that the paralyzed man had some “emergency contacts.” These people were willing to go to great lengths to get their friend to Jesus. Without their action, there would have been no forgiveness of sins, no confrontation of the misconceptions of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, and no miraculous healing.

In verse 20, the climax seems to be at the end of the sentence, Jesus’ forgiveness of sins. But the reason for that action is not stated as mercy for the man; it is the faith of the friends that causes Jesus to say, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

Therefore, our displays of faith in our relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and strangers can cause a real, lasting, spiritual impact on their lives. Our faith can, quite literally, bring people to Jesus.

Who can list you as their emergency contact? Today, how can you take faithful action for the spiritual good of someone else?

*Name changed to protect privacy