Faith that is Seen: Part 1 (Mark 2:3-5)

"Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." (Mark 2:3-5)

When I read Mark 2:5, I can't help but think about Jesus’ reaction to the friends who brought the paralyzed man to Him. Jesus saw their faith. I usually think of faith in the way Hebrews 11:1 describes it: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It’s something that’s not visible, something we believe in without seeing. But here, Jesus actually sees their faith through what they did. It reminds me that faith isn't just something we feel; it’s something that shows up in our actions.

This causes me to think about myself. If Jesus were to look at me, would He see my faith? There’s a verse in Luke 18:8 where Jesus asks, "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" It makes me wonder, if He looked at my life, would He see someone who truly trusts in Him? It’s easy to say I have faith, but do my actions prove it? Am I living in a way that shows my trust is in Jesus, or am I just going through the motions, relying on my own strength?

Another thing I think about is whether my faith is visible to others. The friends of the paralyzed man didn’t let anything stop them from bringing their friend to Jesus. They didn’t care what people thought; they just knew they needed to get to Jesus. How often do I hold back because I’m afraid of what others might think? Sometimes, I worry too much about people’s opinions, and that can be a form of pride. Do I sometimes act like I have faith, but other times I don’t, sending mixed messages?

I pray that God helps me to always trust Him and not rely on my own understanding. I want to seek His kingdom first and live for Him (Matthew 6:33). I want to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:14-16), not hiding my faith out of fear. God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). My hope is that, like Paul, I can say at the end of my life, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). My greatest desire is to hear God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23).