Love is a Four-Letter Word

four-letter wordOne of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hand on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.
Mark 5:22-24 (NIV)

Many Bible stories begin like this one. They heard Jesus was near and brought their paralyzed friend or demon-possessed son. The blind and leprous cried out to Him for healing. Jesus was a busy guy.

But this request for healing was from an important synagogue ruler whose daughter was dying. While Jesus and this ruler headed out on this urgent mission, Jesus felt a tug from an unknown individual in the pushing and shoving crowd that activated His healing powers.

Jesus was busy attending to a life-or-death situation for an important community leader. His disciples brushed aside Jesus’ inquiry about the touch – “How can we possibly know who touched you in this mess?”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. (v32)

Jesus didn’t take a quick glance and decide it was too difficult and his task too urgent. No, Jesus stopped and kept looking. He ‘wasted’ valuable time. And when the woman who had bled for 12 years stepped forward, Jesus listened while she told her whole story. He didn’t check his watch impatiently or look in the direction of the synagogue ruler’s house. He gave her His full attention because telling her story was part of her healing. Then He said “Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Love is a four-letter word spelled T-I-M-E. Busy is also spelled with four letters.

It used to be that visits with a friend lasted the whole morning. Perhaps squeezing chats between one thing and another is partially why we never get below the surface to the real stuff. We’re too efficient. We’ve no time to sit quietly, warm our hands around our cups, and stare into the liquid until what we really want to share bubbles to the surface.

Jesus always took time for people. He sat, listened, taught, touched, and healed.

How have you felt loved because a friend shared their time with you?

Busy has other dangers – like missing out on God’s best for us or neglecting time in His presence.

#SeedsofScripture #maketime #taketime #loveoneanother #biblestory #redletterwords #gospelofMark

1 Comment

  1. J.D. Wininger on October 1, 2020 at 3:23 PM

    Amen Ms. Cathy. Time is really an investment in others. We get so “rushed” and self-important sometime that we forget the importance of sharing the seconds of our lives in a way that matters; by showing them the same patience and love that God shows us.

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