Roof People

By Ronda Perry of St. Peter’s Church 

I have a friend who loves to help people. She is the first one to bring a meal to a family in grief or a family welcoming a new life. She seems to be in the know about who is sick, out of work, or needs prayer. Ironically, no one knew that she had surgery last month or that she has a son struggling with addiction. No one knew that she doesn’t have many friends. How could someone I know well enough to have in my cell phone but not know her pain? Some people are very private and I want to respect their privacy. But I also know that we cannot do life alone because there are times when things happen physically, emotionally, and spiritually when we need other people. Especially Roof People.

When Jesus came back home to Capernaum (Mark 2) there were a ton of people who gathered around him. He had been teaching and preaching and healing and the word had gotten out that this was someone to see and hear. The crowd was so large it filled the house where he was and even out into the yard. There was a man there who was paralyzed. He was not able to get to Jesus on his own. His paralysis – his limitations – prevented him from getting close enough to Jesus to even ask for healing.

This is a pretty tough predicament. Have you ever been so wounded that you didn’t even know the first step to take toward healing? Not just a physical wound, but maybe an emotional wound or a spiritual wound. It’s easier to just lay there curled up on the floor in despair and hope the circumstances change – some how – some way. I think this must have been how this paralyzed guy felt. If only he could get close enough to Jesus, he might be healed. If only. But he could never manage that alone.

Good thing he knew some Roof People.

You see he had some friends who also believed that if they could just get him close enough to Jesus, Jesus could heal him. But they were too far out in the yard. So they decided to take another route. They climbed up on the house, dug a hole through the roof, and lowered their friend down right into the center of the room where Jesus was speaking. Can you imagine it? Here you are teaching and all of a sudden you see some dust and dirt filter down, then some straw and sticks, then some trickles of sunlight illuminate the dancing particles of dust. Then here comes a man on a mat being lowered down by some ropes. Jesus might have looked up and seen the faces of those men peering down into the room, wondering what Jesus’ reaction might be. Jesus’ reaction? “When Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” These friends, these Roof People, believed that even though their friend didn’t have the strength or ability to seek Jesus himself, they knew Jesus could help him.

Roof People are the ones you call to talk to someone without them fixing it. Roof People are the ones who say, “Let’s get together” and then schedule the time. Roof People ask how you are while they look you in the eye. Roof People pray for you when you can’t pray for yourself. I need Roof People in my life. I need friends who will lower me into the presence of Jesus when I am not able to do it myself.

Ronda Perry lives in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, with her husband and two adult children while learning how to converge everyday life with an intimate God.
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