What Price Friendship?

In a time long past, some friends carried their paralytic friend on a mat to get him healed by Jesus.  They were perfectly assured that his healing would occur once in the presence of Jesus, the Great Physician.  Well, they got to the house where  Jesus was, only to find no way to get through the crowd, to the door, or into the house where Jesus was teaching.  Not friends to be outdone by a standing room only crowd, they quickly determined that the only way into the house was through the roof.  So they went on the roof top and tore it apart tile by tile.  Did they stop to consider the damage being done to someone else's home?  Were they concerned about the obvious disturbance to Jesus as He was teaching?  Did the dirt and dust falling on the people below matter to them? Probably a big NO to each of the questions.

These friends were single focused on getting their friend, the paralytic, healed. No price was too great for them to pay.  After having already walked a considerable distance, their love, concern, caring, compassion, and zeal all combined to let nothing stop them from being the best friends they could be. When Jesus saw their faith, he forgave the sins of their friend, and healed him (see Mark 2:1-12).

What kind of friend are you?  What price are you willing to pay for your friendship(s)?  For your friend(s), how does your level of love, concern, caring, compassion, and zeal rate?