Lifting up our friends

Luke 5:18,19 Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the
crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
 
Read Matthew 5:17-26
 
When we see our friends paralyzed by the challenges or disease or fears in their lives, we can be a stretcher bearer and bring them before the Great Healer. We may need to tear
down barriers between them and their Lord. We may need to carry them for a time. We may need to climb with them to a place where they can come face to face with Jesus. We may need to do the work of leading, guiding, encouraging.
   
After the work is done and we see the healing begin, that is when we may need to step back and allow them to pick up their mat and walk on their own. Sometimes this is the hardest of all. We have been doing what seems like all the work. We want to maintain control.
   
We don't always see the work the Lord is doing in their lives.
We may not see the roots that are spreading deep in the soil of our friend's life. We may not appreciate the shoots of independence as they begin to appear. But we need to be
able to release them to grow and bloom where the Son has planted them.
    
All that they have endured and overcome will be for them, a way of becoming a stronger servant and witness for the faithfulness of the Lord.  All that we have given for our friend
will be a sweet fragrance in the Lord's nostrils and He will call us His good and faithful servant.

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Read Matthew 5:17-26

​17 Don’t suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets.[a] I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning.18 Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.
19 If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. 20 You must obey God’s commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don’t, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Anger21 You know that our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” 22 But I promise you that if you are angry with someone,[b] you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.
23 So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God.
25 Before you are dragged into court, make friends with the person who has accused you of doing wrong. If you don’t, you will be handed over to the judge and then to the officer who will put you in jail. 26 I promise you that you will not get out until you have paid the last cent you owe.