AMP – But Jesus, hearing this, answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe and trust [in Me and have faith in My ability to do this], and she will be made well.
NRSVUE – When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Do not be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.”
VOICE – Jesus (interrupting Jairus before he could speak): Don’t be afraid. Just believe. She’ll be well again.
Jesus was aware of Jairus’s situation even when others thought it was beyond hope. Jesus was powerful and had the ability to intervene in what goes on in our life. Jairus was a synagogue leader. His approach to Jesus shows his faith, despite desperation. Being one of the religious leaders, he may have been skeptical of Jesus, so him approaching Jesus for help broke a lot of the cultural and religious barriers.
Jesus didn’t want Jairus, and us, to fear. We are called to trust in God’s power and dominion. God is with us in all moments of our lives. Faith is important through Jesus’s ministry and teachings. Belief is not just intellectual, but a deep trust in Jesus power and authority. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God (see Hebrews 11:6). Jesus often shows that faith is a prerequisite for miracles. The promise of healing shows Jesus’s divine authority over sickness and death. The resurrection power of Jesus shows in His own resurrection.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How would you feel if you were Jairus? Jairus was told to believe and his daughter would be healed. How would you respond?
Jairus shows us what it means to break societal norms to try and get what is needed for us. A lot of times our own pride will stop us for whatever reason. It could be social (interacting with someone that we feel is “lesser” than us), economical (interacting with “the poor”), political (interacting with the other party), and the list goes on. We often want to stay within our walls and what’s familiar to in order to seek the help and guidance that we need. Often, I feel like it’s because we don’t want others to judge us for it. We’ll often withhold seeking help from eligible sources because we want to uphold a reputation and image to those around us.
Jairus may have felt like that as well, given that he was a religious leader. They were often known for trying to catch Jesus in a trap and creating some agenda to show the world why He was wrong and the enemy. When it came to the health of his daughter, he didn’t care where it came from. She was dying, and he needed the help. Jesus was ready for him, and was willing to help out. There was no grudge. There was no caveat. There was just love. There was compassion and kindness. It’s a message to us to work towards unity, despite the differences in who we are. The things that the world makes us different should not matter. God doesn’t look at whether we are gay or straight, democrat or republican, wealthy or poor. God looks at our heart. Whether we lead with love and compassion, or hate and evil. No matter, especially as we had into election season, let us lead with love for all people, respect for everyone, and a greater future for us all.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How can you lead with love and care for all people, regardless of your personal differences?
Next slice of manna: Restorative Work || Manna for the Mind #400
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