Today’s reading – Mark 2:1-12

If you want to see the unexpected, you have to be willing to do something drastic.

When was the last time you were facing a problem and stopped to say the two simple words, ‘what if?’ Seems simple enough right?  But not so fast.  Most of us have a default setting in our mind that has a hard time thinking outside of the box.  We all desire change but we intuitively know the cost and the process to get to the desired outcome will be too high to pay.  So we revert to the old habit, the dependable sure thing.  Many times we miss the voice of God and the possibility of a new innovation and a far better end because of a lack of transformation in our thinking.  So how do we get there?

“Be willing to think differently and your life will change trajectory.”

There is a story in the Bible about a paralytic who had 4 friends that desired to see something different in his life.  They wanted this so much that they carried their friend who couldn’t even walk to the place where Jesus was staying. They did this because they thought Jesus could perform a miracle and heal him.  The problem was, when they came to the door they couldn’t get him through because the entryway and house was jammed packed with people.  So what did they do?  They asked, ‘what if?’  They INNOVATED.  They then hoisted the man onto the roof and began to cut a hole in the roof and lowered the man into the room where Jesus was teaching.  One of those men had to think it would be impossible for Jesus to ignore him if they were willing to do this outlandish, unconventional, unexpected thing.  As Jesus saw this, he forgave the man’s sins and healed him.  The man walked out because four men were willing to think differently about how to get the man to Jesus.