By Four Men, November 16
By Thomas Sherrod
Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men (Mark 2:3 NKJV).
My brother, who was my mother’s main caregiver, called and asked if I could come once a month to assist with our mom’s care. I was glad to make the trip once a month to help my brother and my mother through a difficult time. My wife was gracious enough to accompany me on the trips. An unexpected benefit was our time together talking while traveling to help my mother.
It was a sacrifice of time, finances, and emotional energy. The rewards of quality time with my mother and brother were invaluable. My brother was able to garner some needed rest and time away. And I was able to share and listen to stories with my mother in her declining health. Those times are some of my favorite memories of my mother.
Jesus looked up and saw four men lowering a paralyzed man on a stretcher through the roof. They brought the man to receive healing. Why four men? Why couldn’t one man simply load the paralytic on a donkey and make the trip? Did it really take four men to accomplish the mission? Maybe the paralytic requested the extra help.
Sometimes caring for a loved one can be consuming emotionally, physically, and spiritually. We might ask God why our loved one is going through their specific ordeal. We may have resisted asking for help to carry the load. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for my brother to make the call asking for my help. Sometimes, the toll of caring for another creeps up on us like the rising tide. Before we know it, we are overwhelmed. Feelings of guilt or pride can prevent us from reaching out for help. We were sure we could do it ourselves. The person needing the care might have resisted involving others.
Caring for a loved one is a sensitive path to navigate. We don’t want to offend the person needing the help. Yet, we don’t want to become exhausted and sick ourselves. How to introduce additional help must be handled with care. If possible, involving the person needing the care is essential. Honesty about the caregivers’ needs is critical. Ultimately, leaning on the wisdom of the Holy Spirit is the key. The Holy Spirit can give us the correct words to share. Also, the timing of conversations around how to care for a loved one is of utmost importance. The temptation to go it alone must be resisted. Sometimes it takes four men to carry the load. We seldom think of the bond the four men forged as they served their friend in need. They witnessed a miracle that may have changed their lives, as well.
Pray: Lord, remove pride from our hearts and enable us to involve others in the care of our loved ones. May we look beyond ourselves and trust what God is doing within us and among us. Amen.
Your Turn:
1) Ask God to give you the wisdom to know when and how to ask for help and to receive it as a blessing.
2) Allow others to receive the blessing of caring for you in your time of need.
Thomas W. Sherrod, Cancer Survivor
Tom is a retired hospital chaplain who works part time for Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health System in North Carolina. He organized and facilitated a cancer support group for twenty years as part of his hospital ministry. He is married for forty-four years and enjoys his three daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren. He is a recent survivor of prostate cancer and is immensely thankful for all of God's grace and provisions through it all.
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