Tag: forgiveness

The Courage to be seen.

Mark 2:1–12

One of the most quietly revolutionary episodes in all of Scripture is in the second chapter of Mark’s Gospel. There were no bright lights or loud voices from the skies. A small, crowded house in Capernaum, and the sound of a roof being ripped off.

Jesus is teaching down here. Four friends are lowering a disabled man into His presence above. The room goes quiet. Then Jesus speaks. It’s not a command to walk, but something much more personal and disarming:

“Son, I forgive you for your sins.”
—Mark 2:5

What comes next is more than a miracle. It is an invitation to the kind of spiritual freedom that changes lives, not just for the man on the mat, but for all of us who know what it feels like to be stuck.

When Movement Comes to a Halt

We all have a mat. A spot where we’ve stopped moving. Fear is what some people feel. Some people feel guilt, tiredness, self-doubt, or a wound that has been hidden for too long. We often don’t get to Jesus on our own, but because of the gentle charity of those who help us through friendship, prayer, or just not letting us give up.

“Sometimes the first step toward healing isn’t walking; it’s being willing to be carried.”

In this case, the man who was crippled didn’t say anything. He didn’t say he was sorry. He didn’t say a prayer. He just let people see him. That was all it took.

The Healing That Came Before the Miracle
Jesus doesn’t talk about the man’s physical condition right away. Instead, He talks to his soul directly.

“Son…”

It’s more than simply a greeting; it’s a way to get your identity back. Jesus heals the self before he heals the body.
He gives a sense of belonging before action.
Before change, He offers acceptance.

“To be known in your weakness and still be called beloved—that is the beginning of true healing.”

We frequently think that being strong will help us be seen. But in this case, Jesus changes the story. Being completely open and honest is what draws His attention and opens the door to grace.

The More Serious Conflict

Of course, not everyone in the room was okay with this form of healing. The religious experts, or scribes, were shocked. They asked each other in silence, “Who can forgive sins but God?”

They were right. But they weren’t ready for the answer either.

Jesus, who knows their hearts, doesn’t argue with them; instead, He asks them a question:

“Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’?”

And then He urges the man to get up to show that He is in charge. And he does.

He picks up the mat that once held him and walks away, complete, restored, and living.

A Question for Us

This chapter gives us a challenge that goes beyond religion and into the heart of personal change:

Are we okay with being seen as we really are?

Can we agree that grace comes before doing well?

Are we ready to move into a life that is in line with the truth, both physically and spiritually?

This is when being real and accepting others completely come together. Not the shallow type of self-acceptance that doesn’t want to change, but the profound kind that says, “I am not condemned, even here and now.” They are calling me.

“Being real is what brings healing, not getting everything right.”

A Way to Get Ready for the Journey
Try this peaceful practice the next time you feel stuck in one part of your life:

Be still.
Put your hands on your heart.

Take a breath and say, “I am seen.”
Let go of your breath and say, “I am forgiven.”

Let the words sink in.
Picture Jesus standing in front of you, not asking you to walk yet, nor pushing or correcting you. Just calling you “Child” and letting that be enough.

Willingness is the first step to wholeness.
You don’t have to go up on the roof.
You don’t even have to say anything.
You only have to say yes to being lowered—into grace, truth, and healing.

Jesus is still here.
Still making space in the mob.
Still bringing back the ones that can’t move on their own yet.

And still saying,

“Get up.”