Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:3

During the Wednesday evening Bible class last week, we talked about the account of Jesus healing the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him through a hole in the roof to get past the crowd that barred their approach to Jesus.  I became fixated on the crowd of religious people who refused to give way to this man who so clearly needed to get to Jesus.  I imagine the friends who brought the man pleading with those at the back of the crowd to let them get closer to Jesus.  Thankfully, the friends didn’t let the story end there.

It seems that the crowd had failed to hear Jesus’ most foundational teaching, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”  They were unwilling to set aside their own comfort and enjoyment to help one who needed Jesus.  They were not looking at the situation with spiritual eyes.

In our time, Christians sometimes form a crowd around Jesus that blocks those in need from receiving Christ’s healing.  We might do it through projecting an image of self-righteousness that causes a sinner to believe he could never measure up.  We might do it as we judge that a person would never be interested in Jesus before we even talk about Him.  We might even do it by the strength of our bonds of fellowship with other Christians that don’t leave room for new relationships to form and grow.

Let’s be like the friends in the story who did whatever it took to bring a sick man to Jesus.  Let’s never be part of a crowd that blocks the way to Jesus.