NEVER BE TOO PROUD TO ASK FOR HELP

 

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet, and besought Him saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her--" (Mark 5:22-23)

Jairus was the most important man of his time as regards synagogue administration. He was one of the rulers of the synagogue, the men responsible for the correct administration of the synagogue and the reverent conduct of its services. Jairus had a daughter who was so ill that there seemed no hope of her recovery, and she was only twelve years of age.

We must remember that by this time Jesus had incurred the hatred of the Jewish leaders especially rulers of the synagogues. He began by preaching in the synagogue; but in the synagogue he had healed the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day and thus broken the law. Rulers of the synagogue were out for his life (Mark 3:1-7).

In his hour of need Jairus turned to the man whom he and his colleagues had already branded as a heretic and a sinner. This very fact tells us something about Jairus and something about Jesus. It tells us that Jairus was a man who was prepared to swallow his pride. He was prepared to ask for help from the man whom he had despised.

Nothing can so readily bring a man or a woman to disaster as the pride which will not ask for help. If we want to keep from many a mistake, and perhaps from spoiling our lives together, we should never be too proud to ask for advice and help when we need them; and always humble enough to accept them when we receive them.

Equally this story tells us something about Jesus. It tells us that Jesus bore no grudges. It would have been easy for him to say: "You banished me from your synagogue; you insulted me by calling me a sinner and a heretic; and now that you are in trouble you want me. I want nothing to do with you." But that is exactly what Jesus did not do. 

It is a fact of life, which we seem always unable or unwilling to learn, that hatred begets nothing but hatred. If a person injures us and we injure him back, it simply means that a train of bitterness and anger is let loose which will go on and on. But if we refuse to hate, we bring a new element into the situation - the power of love.

To God be the glory 

Rev B Chinhara