In Mark 5:21-43 we find the account of Jesus encountering two people that were from very different places in life. First, we have Jairus the respected member of society and a leader in the synagogue. Jairus had prestige in his community, but Jairus also had a great need. You see Jairus’s daughter was very ill and he knew the only chance she had to get well was Jesus. Jairus was needy and he was not ashamed to admit it. He came to Jesus and fell at His feet and begged Jesus, “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hand on her so that she can get well and live.” That was the words of a broken and needy man.
The second person we meet in this text is an outcast from society. She has had a bleeding issue for 12 years and she has spent all her money seeing doctors and has not gotten any help or relief from her problem. The constant bleeding has obvious health concerns, but the constant bleeding also made her ceremonially unclean and therefore she had not been able to go to the synagogue, she had not been able to associate with others because they would not have wanted to be made unclean by touching her. Just the common kindness of a handshake, an arm around her shoulder, or a hug had likely not happened to her for years. She risked ridicule to make her way through the crowd just to get close enough to Jesus to touch His garment believing that she would be healed. She was healed instantly that day because she was needy and had sense enough to know that Jesus could meet her need.
There are folks all around us that are needy. Some of them are like these two and realize they are needy, and many others think everything is fine. They think that nothing is wrong with their life not knowing that they are destined for hell without Jesus. It is our privilege to tell them about Jesus and we know from Jesus’ example that we don’t have to worry about anyone’s background or status in the community, Jesus receives the needy!
Ask God to open your eyes to the needy around you. We ought to always be aware of physical needs that we might be able to help with, but the greater concern should be for the eternity of those that we come in contact with. They need to know Jesus and it is our privilege to tell them about Him. Let them see that Jesus is real in your life and that your relationship with Him makes a difference in your life. Then the needy around us will already be drawn to the Jesus within us. The truth is we are needy too. I like the quote I was reminded of recently, “Evangelism is one beggar
telling another beggar where to find bread.” I am needy and I need Jesus every day!
In His Amazing Grace,
Dan